Old Wounds
by Scarlett-Whitecross20
Summary: When their boredom is shattered, the turtles and their friends embarked on an adventure... none of them saw coming.
1. Silence Broken

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Old Wounds

Chapter one: Silence Broken

Water dropped and gurgled, rain poured. A streak of green snaked throughly the sewer, it glowed with a dull pulse that was familiar to only a few. An outlet spilled this substance splashing to the ground, and the plants that absorbed it, thanked it with a roar!!...

The peace of the dojo screamed at the leader in blue. Leonardo focused hard, remembering his wise and beloved Master Splinter's words. _"Calm your mind of all distractions, bask in the emptiness of the void."_ He had been meditating for a while now. The last few weeks have been quiet, with the Shredder and Kavaxas gone, things have been pretty dull. Don Visioso was rotting in jail... and the Foot clan and the Krrang have become peaceful under the control of Karai and Agent Bishop, with the help of his Utrom council. Things had quieted down down... too much for Leo's liking. It had been a few months since Dregg invaded Earth, and while it was kind of boring having no one to protect the city from, he half missed it. Or rather, he missed fighting crime, even if it was the Purple Dragons. But even they had become too easy, unless they suddenly picked up better skills. Or a more diabolical leader than Hun, which Leo knew was too much to hope for with that group. But they'd become child's play, at least compared to what they'd faced since their first encounter with those punks. Leo continued to meditate, but feeling nothing fell back off his knees and lay flat on the floor. He stared blankly at the ceiling.

"I wish something crazy would happen." He sighed, borrowing that line from Casey. He thought he should go see what his brothers were up to, but he just lay there.

Because it was so quiet all the turtles had to find something to do to pass the time. Donatello often tried brainstorming new ideas and worked on his existing projects. Raphael spent most of his time caring for Chompy Picasso his pet alien turtle, and blowing off steam on the punching dummy hanging in the main living area of the lair. And Michelangelo... well let's just say he's been up to his same ole Mikey ways. Cracking jokes and pranks on his brothers and friends; Casey Jones and April O'Neil, hanging out with his pet Ice Cream Kitty, making pizza and watching tv. Creep weed had been lock up for a couple of years now, safe from harming anyone ever again. April and Casey went to school as usual, and would then come to hang out with the turtles. Because Master Splinter had been gone for only a few months, Leo, _being the Sensei now_ , took up the responsibility of continuing to train April as a kuniochi.

Leo glanced over at the photo on the mantle on the far left-hand wall, the four young turtles and their master seemed to be staring right at him, from where he lay. Their stone-faced grins bore into him, like daggers stabbing through his soul. Finally he dragged himself up off the floor, and remembered picking himself up from it many times before when training with Splinter. With a sigh and one last look at the picture, he strode sullenly out of the room.

When he came out into the open living space, Mikey was sitting in front of the tv with Ice Cream Kitty, watching Super Robo-Mecha and eating popcorn pizza. Raphael And Donatello were nowhere to be seen, Leo poked his head briefly into Donnie's lab, and seeing he was the only one of his brothers in there, he headed on to find his brother in red. In ninja stealth mode he crept to Raph's room, he put an ear to the door. Silence. Opening the door he slowly snuck through it, seeing a lump on the bed he crept closer. He looked closer and suddenly... Screech!!! Chompy leapt out from under the covers scaring Leo nearly out of his shell. He hit the floor with a thud and getting to his feet immediately, sees that pillows were under the blankets making it look like Raph was taking a nap. Scooping up the little alien turtle, he headed back the way he'd come.

"So..uh.. guys, has anyone seen Raph?" He called in the empty silence of the lair.

"Um...nope." Mikey responded entranced by the television, and taking another bite of pizza.

"You mean he's not in his room?" Donnie said, peering around the storm doors of his lab. The leader shook his head. Donnie stared off in no particular direction in thought. Leo sighed and strode toward the exit, setting Chompy down near Mikey, who took no notice of him.

"Hey guys!" April's cheerful voice filled the dull air. "How's it going?"

"Not good," Leo sighed, giving her a blank, frustrated expression. "Raph's gone, I'm going to look for him."

"Oh hey, I'll go with you." April offered quickly, tossing her backpack aside. She took out her tanto and fan, slinging them into her belt.

"Casey Jones is coming too!!" The young vigilante declared, pulling his mask down. Donatello clenched a fist, his jealousy boiling up.

"Well if he's going, I'm going!" The young ninja turtle decided grabbing his Bo staff.

"Alright then, we could use the extra eyes anyway." Leo remarked, with a shrug. "Come on, Mikey!" Michelangelo sat there stalk-still, lost in the tv. "Mikey!!" Leo yelled, trying to shake his little brother's focus.

"Ahh!! What?!" The turtle in orange scowled up, startled by his brother's tone.

"We're going to find Raph, and you're coming too." Leo told him, motioning for him to come with them.

"What?! Why do I have to go?!" Mikey protested.

"Because you're apart of this team, and I'm not leaving you here alone." Leo insisted, "now come on!!" He motioned again, a little more aggressively.

"Awwhh!!" Mikey groaned, dragging himself from the ground and following the rest of the team. He spun around to turn the tv off, before racing off after the others and hopping into the Shell-Razor.

Soon they were jumping from fooftop to rooftop, they had hidden the Shell-Razor in an abandoned alley and took to the roofs. The rain had ended and the sky was beginning to clear.

"So any idea where he went!" April spoke up between breaths, approaching another jump.

"No," Donnie replied unfortunately, "but I do have his T-phone on my scanner."

"Wait, why didn't you call it first?" April continued. "That would've saved us the trouble of coming out here right?"

"Yeah, why didn't you, Leo!" Mikey criticized, still mad that he was missing his tv show.

"Maybe because lately Raph's been going out alone and not answering his T-phone." Leo explained, rolling his eyes and leaping across another gap.

"Why's that?" April wondered.

"He's been going on patrols alone, as if something's gonna happen that will give us something to do again. Cause, let's face it, we're bored. Without enemies like Shredder or Kavaxas or the Krrang, we don't really have anyone to protect the city from."

"And it's not like we don't miss them, cause we don't." Donnie agreed. "But without enemies, we don't really have to go on patrols anymore. Our lives have kinda become boring."

"I know what you mean." April admitted, "while I, too, don't miss our past enemies, I do miss defending the city and saving the world from bad guys."

"Don't we all." Leo answered longingly. And the three turtles and two teens made another leap and disappeared down into an alley.

The street lights flickered. A cat ran across the street, and an occasional car rumbled down the road. The turtle in red clung to the wall of a building peering around the corner. His ninja stealth kept him nearly invisible to the human eye. He slipped into the alley and creeping down it, drew his Sai ready for anything. He leapt out into the open on the other street that connected the alley to the road he'd come from, pointing his Sai this way and that. Holding them expertly close he continued on. When he came to the edge. His mask strings flapped in the breeze, he lowered his weapons and stared down into the crater before him. And with a sigh he turned to leave. He took one step, when a long squishy tentacle wrapped around his ankle and dragged him into the pit. With a scream he tumbled into the depths of the darkness.

The device in Donatello's hand beeped and blipped as the tracker flashed and fizzled out.

"What?!" He gasped.

"What is it Donnie?" Leo asked quickly.

"Raph's T-phone tracker just went offline." The young mutant in purple responded. They leaped onto another building and stopped.

"What does that mean?" April wondered aloud.

"Well many things. His T-phone may have gotten destroyed, someone could have gotten a hold of it and he made it self-destruct, or..."

"So what do we do?" Casey interrupted.

"I... I don't know." Donnie turned to April. "April, do you think you could psychically track him?"

"I can try." The girl responded. "But I've never done it with you turtles before." She walked until she stood in the center of the roof. Putting her fingers to her forehead she focused, trying to hone in on Raph's mental energy. When... she saw him being hit hard by something.

"Ahhh!!" She cried, feeling his pain.

"April what is it?!" Donnie asked. Another hit.

"I see Raph!!" She told him, another hit. "Ahhh!!... he's this way, come on!!"

Raph thudded to the ground again. He groaned as he tried to pick himself up off the ground. The Black marks and bruises were like black holes radiating a burning, throbbing pain that dragged the young turtle down.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." He realized to himself. The creature screeched and it's tentacles shot at him again. Raph struggled to evade the long root-like fingers lunging toward him. One nailing him on the chest, he was sent back and hit the rocky earth wall behind him. He shook the dizziness from his head and looked up as the creature came again. He put his arms up ready to block the creatures attack, when... Slice!!

"Turtles! Attack!" Leo and the gang sprang forth to save him. Leo helped Raph to his feet and the others engaged the creature. "We're have you been Raph?! Why would you just run off like that!!!"

"I was on patrol!" Raph responded defensively.

"Patrol for what?!" Leo's frustration evident in his tone. "We haven't needed to patrol, since Dregg invaded!" The plant creature hit Leo slamming him into the wall then grabbing him with its tentacles lifted him into the air. Leo struggled to free himself, grabbing his blade about to draw. The vines coiling around his wrists and then threw him, sending him rolling for a few feet. Coming to another ledge, he slid down it and landed in a dusty lower level. He coughed in the dust cloud that sprang up to meet him. Looking up when the dust settled, a screeching head sprang forward, he was just barely out of its reach. Then he was that it wasn't just one... but, in fact, a whole field of these crazy plants. Basically mini versions of the one the rest of the team was fighting.

"Leo!!" April cried, levitating him back up to where she stood. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He breathed, "but this just got a lot harder." The rest of the team were standing up at the street level again. And the creature began to follow them. Hearing a noise Leo turned and looked down into the other hole. The little creatures yowled like injured cats, and their bodies were beginning to stain a rusty brown. Then it hit him.

"That's it!" He breathed, "guys!" Everyone looked toward their leader. He jumped onto the creature's head and leapt into a flip up onto the street level amongst them. "We need to get this creature away from here!!" He finished, drawing his swords.

"What? Why?" Raph thought Leo has gone nuts!

"Because..." Leo said pointing his blade towards the other hole. "There's more of them. Smaller ones." He then pointed at the creature. "And the farther that thing gets away from them the more they die. If we get this thing far away from them they'll all die. Then we'll only need to take care of this one."

"Oh I get what you're saying." Donnie realized, putting the pieces together. "This creature is what's keeping all those smaller ones alive. And by isolating it, we'll kill them off all at once."

"Exactly, come on!" Leo commanded, as they scattered to avoid the creature's downward blow. They sprinted down the street launching their throwing stars to get its attention. And the creature let out a screeching roar and stomped after the four turtles and two teens.

"That's right!" Cried Mikey over his shoulder, "come and get us you overgrown tumbleweed!!" The creature roared and clawed its way after them.

"Quick, Donnie get to the Shell-Razor!!" Leo called. "You still have some of that retro-mutagen based weed-killer, right?" Leo thought only a second before adding... "it will stop that thing... right?"

"Well," Donnie responded, glancing over his shoulder to dodge, yet another, tentacle. "It should, this creature seems to have a lot of similarities with our old friend, Creep Weed." Leo stopped and faced the creature, blades up and ready. Everyone doing the same, each drawing their weapons.

"Donnie, go! We got this, we'll keep it busy until you return." Leo called, charging toward the creature. Donnie returned his Bo staff to its holster and took off toward the Shell-Razor. The turtles attacked in sync, one after another. With the creature nailing blows here and there. Raph received a blow that sent him into a wall.

"You see Leo!" He said, shaking the dizziness from his head, yet again. "This is why we still need to patrol once in a while." Leo dodged another blow.

"Do we really have to talk about this now?!" He sliced one vine, then another as he came in for an attack. He ninja leaped at the creature, it's vines shot at him all at once. They wrapped around his waist and wrists. Twisting his wrists, he dropped his katanas as the creature began an escape.

"Huh?" Mikey cried in surprise. "Let him go!!" He and the others raced after it. Mikey caught up to it and landed a strong kick to its backside. The creature turned and roared, launching Leo back the way it had come. When he'd stopped rolling, he grabbed his katanas and returned them to their sheath.

"Are you alright?!" April asked coming to his side as he picked himself up off the ground.

"Yeah, I'm good." The turtle responded dusting himself off.

"Ahhh!!! A little help here guys!!" Mikey screamed, trying to remove the vines from around his midsection, he, Casey and Raph were entangled in the brambles. Leo and April set to work slicing and dicing them until their friends were free.

"Alright, all together!" Leo said, motioning to the others. They all took off together, and in unison landed a double-footed kick. The creature landed hard on the ground. Everyone turned their backs on the creature to give each other a thrilling grin.

"Nice work team." Leo complimented. But then, a vine snaked around Leo's ankle, and the creature sprang up and retreated down the dark street, dragging Leo behind it!

"Leo!!" Everyone cried together, sprinting headlong after them. Leo, dragging on his shell, tried to reach the vine to free himself, but every time he would hit a bump in the road and missed it. The creature dove around a corner and he grabbed the lamppost in the sidewalk. The creature snarled and pulled harder, but Leo held on. He looked from his hands in the pole, to the vine on his ankle and the creature growling beyond it, and back to his hands. The gears turning in his head. The creature hissed, when something hit it in the head making it look up.

"Hey! Why don't you pick on somebody your own size!!" Donatello's impeccable timing was a relief for the leader in blue, but was trying not to get ripped in half at the same time. Donnie jumped from where he stood landing on the creature's head. He bounced off it and turning in the air, shot a blow dart at the creature. The dart pierced it's bark-like skin, and the creature threw its head back ina pained roar. Then it slowly began to fall backwards. Leo made a quick decision, he reached for his katana with his left hand. But as soon as his hand left the pole, he heard and felt a **_snap_**!" A fire exploded in his arm, but he swung his blade blindly and cut the vine hitting the ground hard. And when the creature hit the ground it exploded into a light green substance. Creating a huge mess! Donnie collected the remains of the plant creature and placed it into a special canister. As the team finally caught up to them.

 **What is up my ninjas!! So this story is actually the _only_ story I have of TMNT right now but that may change at some point. Anyway, hope you enjoy it!! ;D**


	2. Options

Chapter two: Options

"Are you guys, ok?" April asked, quickly kneeling down and placing a hand on Leo's left shoulder, who was still sprawled on the ground.

"Yeah," Donnie breathed. "I think so."

"Leo?" April turned back to the turtle on the ground. The leader in blue dragged himself of up yet again. He tried to use his right arm as leverage to stand, but the pain was too much. He groaned sharply, grabbing his shoulder intensely.

"Easy bro," Raphael said, patting his brother on the back, "it'll be ok, we'll fix you up." He helped Leo up supporting his other arm and elbow. And together they headed quietly back to the Shell-Razor. Leo slipped into the driver seat, reaching for the belts he winced at the extreme pain in his shoulder. So he attempted to use only his left hand to pull it over his shoulders so he could secure it with both hands. Though he was in severe pain he kept going. He knew he'd be able to rest it when they got back to the lair. _No doubt April will be wanting to make sure I'm ok._ He thought to himself.

When they had arrived at the lair, Ice Cream Kitty yowled for attention.

"Ice Cream Kitty!! You're getting all melty my little friend!!" Mikey cried, scooping up the bowl that his pet was lying in. Leo watched his team scatter throughout the large living space. Coming to sit down he leaned back trying to lean on his elbows, but the intense shooting pain reminded him that that wasn't a good idea. Seeing Leo flinch April left and emerged again with something from another room.

"We should probably tie your arm up. Give your shoulder time to heal." She said making a temporary sling with some old bandages. "And can you grab some ice, Mikey?" She called over her shoulder.

"Sure thing." Mikey responded, heading to the kitchen, Kitty in hand. April tenderly worked as Leo gingerly set his arm into the homemade sling.

"Thanks, April." Leo groaned contently. Mikey soon returned from the kitchen his arms full of snacks and Ice Cream Kitty was new ice to keep her cold. He casually tossed the ice pack in April's direction.

"Thanks!!" She called catching it and laying it gently on Leo's shoulder. Holding it there she stretched, laying back where she sat. "This shouldn't take too long to heal." She continued gesturing to his shoulder.

"I don't know," Leo sounded suspicious.

"What's that matter?" April asked, picking up on this.

"Something doesn't feel right." He attempted to move it and the immense, sharp pain proved his point.

"Uh, you were being dragged away, by some weed monster, what would you expect?" Raph answered, his hot-temperedness showing itself again.

"It's probably just been shaken loose, after the beating you took from that thing." Donnie reasoned.

"Well I felt _something_." Leo remarked, still not convinced.

The turtles watched tv for the rest of the evening. Leo rested his elbow behind him. And slowly putting his weight on it, forgetting about his injury, and was reminded by sharp stabbing pain. As though someone was jabbing knives or daggers into his shoulder. He left the room and headed to the dojo, _maybe meditating will help clear my head._ He thought. But after meditating for ten minutes he didn't feel any better. He felt tired and helpless, not sure what to do. Fighting the creature was rush, but he didn't enjoy getting pummeled by it. Though he was now beginning to wish the creature had escaped to fight another day. Only cause it would give them something to do.

Over the next several days Leo struggled, he rested then tried to train, rested and tried again, but no matter what he did. It still hurt just as much... if not more. Leo was training April one day, hand to hand combat form. He was her target to get a feel for the right form when fighting another person. April would attack, Leo would evade.

"Again!" Leo called. The girl threw a strong reversed round kick to his chest. Leo was sent back hitting the wall and riving in pain of his wounded shoulder.

"Leo!!" April cried hurrying to his side, as the young turtle recovered himself. "This has gone on to long! It's been a week since we fought that plant creature. You shouldn't still be in this much pain." She carefully helped him up, and grabbing his left hand, led the way out of the dojo. All the turtles and Casey were hanging out in the lounge area, when April dragged Leo out there. "Guys, I think it's time we called Kurtsman's brother." She declared.

"You mean the one who's a doctor for the aliens and mutants who live in New York City?" Donnie guessed, turning from the game they were playing. "Why's that?"

"Because something is wrong. Leo's shoulder is still extremely tender, that shouldn't be happening. And we need to find out why."

Jack J. Kurtsman was a friend of the turtles since they discovered the truth about April's genetic connections to the Krrang. His brother, Jeremy Kurtsman, was a doctor for a big hospital that was closed years ago. But now he has opened a secret medical facility under the radar of the rest of the city for mutants and other life forms. He and his brother Jack agree that mutants deserve care too. And since the turtles were their friends, they would be ready to help them at any time. The facility has only specific employees, and the office is hidden in an old medical bay below street level. No one knows about it... except the mutants. At least, the ones that aren't evil.

"Well what are we waiting for, let's give them a call, telling them we're coming." Raph decides immediately. And together they piled into the party wagon and drove off.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the x-rays were back. Dr. Jeremy Kurtsman scanned them with his highly trained eyes.

"Well good news, nothing's broken." He declared finally.

"And the bad news." Raph was waiting to hear it, un-phased that there wasn't any.

"Well none..." the doctor shrugged, "for now. May I?" He gestured to Leo's shoulder. And with a calm nod of permission, he cut the sling off and ran his extensively experienced hands gently over the wounded extremity. Leo jumped tensely, trying very hard to hold still. Kurtsman scratched his chin, for a moment.

"Linda, get the portable ultrasound." He called to one of the nurses. As she strode off to carry out the request, he turned to the turtles.

"The x-ray showed a shadow, but it's not blood. So something else is causing his extreme tenderness. The ultrasound will confirm, and if my suspicions are correct he may have a long road ahead."

"And what does that mean?" Raph asked, stepping forward as if to confront him. April stood in front of him and held him back, just as the machine was rolled smoothly into the quiet room. Plugging in the machine and powering it up he placed the probe over the center of the tender spot. Leo laid back on the table, and stayed quite relaxed under the circumstances. Kurtsman sighed, removing the probe and handing it to the nurse.

"It's just as I thought," he sighed turning his chair around to face the rest of the team. "He's torn a ligament in his shoulder."

"What?!" Raph exclaimed nearly losing it.

"Now hang on." Jeremy reassured. Placing his hands up to silence the agitated turtle in red. "It's not as bad as I thought and we can fix it."

"Um, ok," April's glance wondering. "So what are we looking at?" She gazed up at him from where she sat next to Leo, her eyes searching his.

"Well, surgery would be the best way to repair it." Everyone was taken aback by this, evident to Jeremy by the gasp arising amongst them.

"Are you crazy?!" Raph exclaimed.

"It's that bad?" Donnie was confused.

"No way!!" Cried Mikey.

"The ligament is only partially torn, it's just a matter of repairing and reinforcing it so that it can heal somewhat back to its original strength." Jeremy explained. "Of course we could wait a month or so, because there is a chance that it will fix itself. But it's not very likely. Only about thirty-five it forty percent chance. But this is your decision. And it won't cost you anything."

"What? How is that possible?" April asked innocently.

"Yeah, what's the catch." Raph questioned, raising an eyebrow, and narrowed his eyes.

"Our operation is secretly funded by people that don't know our real mission." Jeremy's blank expression not changing. "People who donate to our cause think they are giving money and resources to people with disabilities getting life-changing surgeries. We have the resources to do charity work for the mutants of this city because of it."

"So nobody knows what you _really_ do?" Casey piped up, suspicion hinting him his tone.

"Only my brother, Jack, and the employees and patients know." He assured them.

"So how long will this take and when would we be able to do it?" April seemed very interested in this.

"Well the surgery would take a couple of hours, and it's a very delicate one at that. And then he'll have about three months of crucial recovery time,... maybe more."

"Wow, that's a long time." Donnie commented.

"Yes." Jeremy agreed, with a nod. "But the good news is, if you decide to do it right away. I can get it done today if you want. But we can schedule it whenever you want... if you decide to do it. But, as I said, we can wait to see if it will fix itself, but there's no guarantee it will."

"And that would set his recovery time back, too." Donnie added, scratching his chin.

"Exactly," Jeremy nodded slowly. "And April, I heard you have a farmhouse out in the country upstate. Is that right?"

"Yeah, Uh..what about it?" She replied, unable to follow his train of thought.

"Well he'll need some peace and quiet, and the fresh country air would do him some good. It would be a great place for him to go to recover." There was a pause. "I can give you time to think about it if you like." April and Leo glanced at each other briefly and seemed to read each other's minds.

"I think that would be great, this is a big decision to make." April said finally.

"Alright then, I'll help put the ultrasound machine away and give you time to talk about it. I know how important Leonardo is to the team and this is a difficult and risky decision to make. I'll come back in a little while to check in, or come find me when you've made a decision." And with a nod the doctor exited the room, with the machine in tow. And the squeaking of the wheels faded down the quiet halls. The four turtles and two teens looked from one to another.

"So..." April began breaking the silence. "What do you think? Leo?" Everyone turned to their leader. He had sat up on the table with his left elbow resting on his knee, and his hand to his chin, deep in thought.

"I think we should wait." Raph insisted intently, "why mess with it, when it could fix itself?"

"But you heard the doc. There's only a small chance that will happen." Donatello pointed out.

"Yeah, and if we wait, it'll set his recovery back even further. I would suggest doing it as soon as possible. Besides he's probably better off that way." April agreed, "I mean he was recovering from his injuries from the Shredder for months afterwards,... being in a coma for three months didn't help."

"And what about New York?" Raph reminded them, becoming a little frustrated. "We can't just drop everything and leave it high and dry."

"But he's, at least, got a better chance than leaving it alone. If we wait, there's a chance he'll get worse." April responded intensely. "Leo? What do you think?" The young mutant was silent.

"I think April's right." The leader in blue replied, after a short pause. "Now is the best time to do this. There are risks no matter what we choose to do. But this seems to have the least amount of risk. Better to fix the problem rather that let it fester and possibly get worse."

"Leo, are you sure about this." Raph asked gently, his gaze softening. "I mean, what if something goes wrong?"

"Then we'll deal with it." Leo assured him, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "We've been through worse. Besides, it'll be another excuse to go back to the farm house again." Raph crossed his arms in despair and looked away. His disappointment clearly displayed in his face. At the moment Jeremy poked his head into the silent room.

"How's it going?" He asked intently.

"Let's do it." April answered, confidently adopting a determined stance.

Before long, Leo was laid in a bed preparing for surgery. And as he lay there, nurses bustling about around him, he couldn't help but feel fear creep into him. Wondering if he made the right decision, he remembered what Master Splinter had always told him. _"As a leader... there is no right wrong, only choices."_ He was tried desperately to get a handle on his fear and anxiety, for this was an entirely new experience for him. And as they wheeled him away, they stopped for the turtles and friends to see him off before going in.

"Good luck in there man," Raph commented laying a hand on his brother's arm. "We'll be waiting for you when you get out."

"Yeah, good luck." Donnie agreed.

"Stay strong bro!" Mikey added dramatically.

"You're gonna be fine." April reassured him, picking up on his anxiety. And with that she removed his mask, because they'd need it out of the way for when they put him under. As she folded it up, Leo places his hand on hers.

"You hang on to that for me, will ya?" He said, giving her a slight smile.

"You got it." April returned a smile. Just the Jeremy appeared from down the hall, he was in his uniform ready to go.

"Ok, are you ready Leonardo?" He asked casually fiddling with his mask in his hand, trying to instill a sense of security.

"As I'm gonna be," the young turtle responded dryly. Then the doc glanced up at the nurses.

"Get him out of here," he said, with a friendly nod. As the team watched them disappear down the long hallway and around a corner, each of them became lost in their own thoughts, as they took a seat in the dark, empty waiting room.

"You can relax, Leonardo." Jeremy encouraged through his mask. "It'll be over before you know it."

"I know, thanks for doing this." Leo smiled, his eyes betraying his calm demeanor.

"Anytime." And when they laid a mask over his face he felt himself drifting away from the waking world. All the sights and sounds faded away into a void of darkness.

As they began the procedure they found that this young mutant's body held a couple of surprises for them. Once, twice and even a third time, they would accidentally clip an artery or blood vessel. But this did not last long, they managed to control the situation each time. And the procedure went on...

The team were anxiously waiting. Mikey had fallen asleep curled up in a chair from boredom. Donnie was doing something on his T-phone. Raph and Casey were fiddling with their weapons. And April held Leo's mask close to her chest, she couldn't help but be worried and anxious too. Fears that she dreaded with immense passion crossed her mind. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Jeremy emerging from the back room behind the two large doors that lead to their operating rooms. Clearing his throat, he pulled his mask over his head and away from his face, so that it hung from his neck. As soon as they noticed him, Raph and April jumped from the seats, Mikey woke up and Donnie and Casey looked up.

"So, Leonardo's operation went well. There were a few hiccups along the way, but they were handled, and he is in recovery." Jeremy reported proudly.

"What kind of hiccups?" Raph questioned suspiciously, raising his fist in front of his body.

"It doesn't matter," April said, putting a hand to the turtle's chest. "What matters is that he's ok." She finished, turning back to the doc.

"Exactly. We're waking him up now, would you like to see him?" He gestured back the way he'd come.

"Absolutely." April answered quickly, glancing back at the others.

"I would like to know when you were planning on going out to the farmhouse." Jeremy spoke up, as he lead the way down the hall.

"Um... as soon as he's released, I guess." April thought out loud.

"Gosh, we didn't really think about that." Donnie realized, scratching the back of his head.

"Well when ever you decide to go, I can have one of our ambulances transfer him for you. It can follow you out there."

"If we'd have known we were going to do this we probably would have prepared to go as soon as possible." The turtle in purple stated.

"I understand. But let's see how he's holding up before we decide anything, shall we?" He said, gently pushing open the door. And with a creak, the door slid open and the team peered tentatively inside.

 **Hey** **guys! How's it hanging! So Jeremy is just a character I made up so (C) I own him. But the concept I created him for was pretty much this right here. After, I think, chapter three he will not be around anymore. But I enjoyed using him for what I needed him for. And I kind of like this concept. Idk, let me know what you guys think. Anyway, hope you're enjoying this story. Thx!!**


	3. The Road Begins

Chapter three: The Road Begins

The door gave a little screech as it was pushed open. The team peered into the darkness, the only light into the room was the two lamps on either side of the bed. Leonardo lay motionless as they filed in, a nurse sat on his right side injecting something into his IV.

"He should be waking up soon." She said.

"Excellent." Jeremy replied happily. The turtles scanned there brother has he lay there peacefully, all that had changed was the large patch of white covering the wound they had all known was there. He seemed very calm and relaxed even though he was under medications that put him to sleep. He was breathing on his own. So there were no breathing tubes. But there were a couple of wires on his chest, which they used to keep track of his vital signs. The small monitor on his left side of the bed was further proof of the nurses' and doctors's words. The steady beat of his heart echoed in the background.

"So, um, what do we do now?" April spoke up quietly.

"Well as soon as he wakes up we'll assess his awareness and see where we're at. But I think he should be ready to leave whenever you decide to head upstate." Leo stirred slightly, his eyes slowly began to open and he turned his head weakly towards them as if he'd heard them. He blinked, the light blinding him. He attempted to raise his right hand to shield his face, but was soon reminded of why that was a bad idea.

"Leo?" Raph whispered, coming to his brother's side. He laid his hand his Leo's arm, and, despite his blurry vision, Leo recognized him instantly.

"Raph?" His voice cracked hoarsely, his eyes beginning to adjust to the light. A sigh of relief washed over them.

"He's doing better than I imagined," Jeremy commented thoughtfully. "Though the anesthesia really knocked him out, he'll be a little groggy and out of it for a little while."

"What do you mean? Is that bad?" April said glancing back at him.

"No, no, it's fine. Some mutants can handle the anesthetic better than some. He just happens to be one who doesn't quite as much. But that shouldn't last more than a few days, I'll give you some Selene pouches to help with that."

"And if there's any problems, you can always give us a call." April approached the bed and sat down carefully beside him as the doctor spoke.

"How.. did it go?" Leo croaked. His voice still dry and cracking.

"It went great." April told him, laying a hand on the blanket covering his chest. "Jeremy said there were a couple minor problems, but they were handled and everything is fine now."

"Oh, ok." He breathed weakly, giving a slight nod.

"I'd say he would be ok, whenever you're ready for him." Jeremy spoke up.

"Well..." April paused looking from Leo to the doc. "We should probably go as soon as possible. Like maybe... tonight?" She scanned the faces of the others in the room, as if searching for the answer.

"Well if we're going to go today, then we better get moving." Donnie commented. "If we'd have known this was going to happen we'd have already been ready to go."

"We can keep him here until you're ready, and make the arrangements to send him there. They can follow you out there. About how long do think you'll need?"

"I don't know," Donnie shrugged, taking a guess. "A couple hours?" Giving a shrug.

"We can do that, I should have him ready to go by then." The team looked at each other for a moment, giving a final nod.

"Sounds good to me." April answered.

"Great, then I'll go get the arrangements set while you head back to get whatever you may need." April turned back to Leo. He seemed to stare blankly in no particular direction. His eyes were glazed and hallow and he seemed a little distant. His blank gaze was broken by her hand being laid on his chest again, making him look up.

"We're gonna go back to the lair and pick up a few things. We'll be back to pick you up and we'll all leave for the farmhouse in about two hours. In the meantime, get some rest. Jeremy and his team will be here to keep an eye on you til we get back." She told him softly.

"Ok," Leo replies hoarsely, "I'll be here." He then snuggled down into the bed again, and went to sleep.

"Ok, guys, let's go!" When they headed back to the lair the turtles, April and Casey scattered throughout the lair grabbing only the most important things to each of them. Raph grabbed his favorite comic books and Chompy. Mikey packed his comics, pizza, and Ice Cream Kitty.

"Hey where did every body go?" Mikey wondered looking around the quiet Lair.

"Raph and Donnie went to track down the Mighty Mutanimals And Karai, and April headed back to her place to grab a few things." Casey explained, fiddling with his hockey stick. "So it's just you and me right now, dude." He held his hand up in front of him and Mikey took it firmly, both adopting a mischievous grin.

"So that's it? You're leaving?" Kirby O'Neil was surprised that his daughter was going back to the farmhouse so suddenly. "But what about school? What would your teachers think?"

"I'll tell them a family member is sick and I went to their house to help take care of them... for extra credit." April reasoned.

"But I'm your father. You can't just make big decisions like this without talking to me first."

"I would have," April protested gently. "But we had no idea until today. And I knew we couldn't wait. Leo's best chance to heal right is to do it right away. Before something happens."

"But no one said you had to go too." Kirby placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I know, but... I need to. The turtles, they're- like family. I can't let them go alone. Plus, who will make sure Leo follows instructions. His brothers won't help much. And Casey won't be any help either. This is something I need to do... for myself."

"But this is not your fault."

"I know but, I couldn't bare to miss out on this. I'd never forgive myself. I mean, the guys have always been there for me. It's time I be there for them." Kirby glanced at the ground in despair, he knew he wasn't going to change her mind.

"Well. I'll miss you. And I understand why you want to go. You have your mother's caring spirit, that's part of the reason I married her. And I don't regret any of it." He gave his daughter a big hug, and they stood there hugging for a moment.

"What? You're kidding right?" Karai couldn't believe the story that Donatello had just retold.

"I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. We're leaving today. And we need you and the Mighty Mutanimals to protect the city if needed while we're gone."

"Well alright, at least Leo's gonna be ok, right?"

"He'll be fine." The mutant shrugged, "but he'll have a lot of healing to do before he is ready to fight again."

"We'll keep an eye on things here. You make sure he makes a full recovery, so you can get you shells back here."

"You can always call and us if something happens and you need backup. I'm sure we can work something out to return."

"We probably won't have to, but whatever." Karai nodded with a smile. And Donatello turned to leave.

April, Casey and Mikey were waiting with the Party Wagon and Shell-Razor. Casey and April leaned up against the Party Wagon, and Mikey was reclined in the Shell-Razor's tire.

"Ugh!! Where are they!!" Casey cried impatiently. "Donnie and Raph should be back by now!! We've been waiting here for like, forever!!"

"They should be here any minute, have a little patience will ya?!" April sighed. Just then, the turtle in purple emerged from the shadows of the ally, appearing from seemingly nowhere.

"Donnie!" Cried mikey excitedly, falling off of the tire. And another figure dropped from the rooftop above.

"'Bout time, Raph!" Casey crossed his arms.

"Save it Jones," Raph responded turning to the others, and stepping forward. "Ok everything's set, Slash and the others are gonna keep an eye out."

"And Karai and the Foot will keep a vigil over the city as well." Donatello reported.

"Then let's go get Leo." April finished.

Silence was deafening in the room where they had left their leader. But it was a silence that wasn't at all bad. It just meant, he was resting like he was told. The silent turtle lay peacefully draped in a cloak of deep, much needed, sleep.

"I almost don't want to wake him." Donnie commented, cocking his head closer to April.

"And yet we must." Jeremy replied. Raph looked at his sleeping brother.

"Hm... maybe we don't have to." Raph thought out loud. He glanced briefly at Jeremy.

"I suppose it's worth a try." He nodded, as if reading the turtle's mind. Then nodding to his nurse, they brought in the stretcher. Removing the blanket Raph gently picked his brother up supporting his upper body and Donnie held on to his legs carefully walking over they placed him gently on to the stretcher. As they straightened him out he stirred, but stayed asleep. Securing him in place with the straps the team followed the nurses as they wheeled him down the dark halls to the ambulance bays.

"I'll stay with Leo." April decided. "Raph, Casey, you guys should drive the Party Wagon and Shell-Razor. We'll follow you."

"You got it, Red." Casey nodded.

"Come on, let's do this!" Raph finished putting his hand out. And the rest of the team mates their hand on it in unison.

Loading Leo in, they set off for the farm house.

 **How's it goin everybody! As I said this story is the only one I have, but this was a concept would really have liked to see. But it's also just a setup for what's to come, also a concept I would have liked to see in the show before it ended. Can't wait to see what you think of it! ;)**


	4. Peace and Quiet

Chapter four: Peace and Quiet

April was silent watching Leo sleep. He looked peaceful, but she feared it wouldn't last. Again she held Leo's mask close to her, he seemed so calm for the situation he was in.

"You really care about him... don't you." Linda observed, thoughtfully.

"Of course." Sighed April, her gaze never leaving the motionless mutant. "Leo... and the others, they've... always been there for me. They're like family."

"I know," Linda nodded, she paused. "Ya know you're pretty brave. I hear you told your father that you're leaving to go with the turtles to help with Leonardo."

"Yeah, but I... I can't just- let them go alone. What kind of friend would I be if I did that?"

"You know this isn't your fault, right?"

"Yeah but... it's just... the turtles have always been there for me... now, l think it's time I do something for them." The two exchanged a smile, and a groan broke their gaze. Leo stirred and his eyes slowly opened again. His vision was still blurred, but they began to adjust to the light. As he looked around he became aware is his surroundings, realizing what was going on.

"April," he croaked hoarsely, though not as much as before. "Where are we?"

"We're almost there, we should be there any minute. How ya feelin'?"

"I'm, ok... I guess." The exhausted mutant replied, with a weak hallow smile.

"We're here," called one of the drivers, turning into the driveway of the farmhouse. When they pulled up in front of the house, April stepped out of the back and gaze knowingly at the familiar form of what was once her childhood home. She looked off into the distance, and saw the tombstone that showed where they had buried Master Splinter. The carving of their former master stood guard over the land, watching over them like a guardian of some kind. The memory of Splinter's death came flooding back to her, but it was drowned out by the turtles and Casey joining her as the medics brought Leo out. When they unlatched the straps, and removed the covers.

"Welcome back bro." Raph told him softly. The two brothers exchanged smiled.

"Well not quite." April remarked, with one hand on her hip and the other holding up Leo's mask. She then came forward and re-placed the mask on Leo's face where it belonged.

"Thanks April," Leo attempted to sit up, but the pain stopped him. Coming to his side the team stood ready. "Relax Leonardo," Linda advised resting a hand on his good shoulder.

"I... need- to- get up." Leo groaned, trying to sound like he was good enough to do so.

"Are you sure you're able to walk?" April was concerned.

"Yes, I'll be fine." Was the turtle's response. "Please." April glanced at Linda.

"Well... alright. But you'll have to be very careful." Linda said finally. April stepped back as Raph took Leo's left hand and Donnie supported his right side as they helped him sit up. And sliding himself over, Leo carefully slid off the stretcher. His knees buckled under him and his brother's held on to him. Slinging Leo's arm over his shoulder, Raph helped his brother into the house laying him down in the bedroom upstairs. As Raph pulled the light blanket over him, the turtle drew in a deep, tired breath.

"There you go, bro." Raph told him softly, patting his brother's chest gently as he settled down to sleep. "Get some rest."

"I'll check his incision quick and then we'll be on our way." Linda announced reaching over Leo, taking a quick look she carefully re-placed the bandages and nodded with satisfaction. "He's good." She said finally. And with that they all filed quietly out of the room. Closing the door behind them, they headed down the stairs on the living room. "Ok, here's a everything you'll need to re-dress the wound, ice packs, heat pad, and Selene. Again if you need anything, give us a call and we'll help you out if we can."

"We will, thanks!" April nodded, shooting her a grateful smile.

"Yeah, thanks for everything." Donatello added, grinning.

"No problem. Well... good luck to you. I hope Leo recovers well." And with that she headed out to the ambulance. The team stood on the porch and watched it until it was out of sight. And then, one after the other, headed back inside, until all that remained was April. She looked up into the sky, as the sun sunk into the horizon and disappeared. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness the stars became more visible. A shooting star flashed across the black sea of stars. Perhaps it was a sign that she made the right decision, or telling that her mother was still alive somewhere. Or maybe it was just a beautiful rush of light emanating from a rock in space. Either way, it still made her smile, as she, too, headed inside.

Hearing the rooster crow was a wonderful and familiar thing that she now realized she'd missed about being at the farmhouse. The peace and quiet is the farm was very refreshing, versus the hustle and bustle of New York City. The sunshine poured in the window of her room like a waterfall. Rising from her mattress she stretched her arms out, then rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She dragged herself out of bed. And headed down the hall to the stairs. Passing Leo's room she heard a... CRASH!!! Something hit the floor. Rushing back and opening the door, she froze when she saw Raphael on the floor picking up the pieces of the cheap lamp that once stood next to the bed on the nightstand.

"Raph? What are you doing in her?" Her nerves calming at the sight of the turtle in red.

"Relax April," Raph said, setting the pieces on the nightstand again. "I was just checking on Leo. He's still asleep, I was just making sure he was alright in here." He then headed for the door, nearly brushing past her. Looking at Leo, he suddenly moved. Raph stopped in his tracks, turning around quickly he stood stalk-still watching his brother. Leo stirred and his eyes opened slowly. He sighed and looked around. April and Raph came closer.

"Leo?" Raph said quietly.

"Hey Raph." Leo responded carefully reaching his right arm up to wipe the sleep from his eyes. Holding his left hand up for Raph. Taking it Raph helped Leo sit up, April sat down on the bed behind him.

"How's you shoulder feel?" She asked, placing her hands gently on his shoulders, and running her fingers gently down his right arm.

"Ok I guess," he said, not even attempting to move it. Sliding out of bed Leo stood up, and he was relieved that the room didn't spin anymore. Though he did feel a little light-headed, he knew he'd been hit hard by the anesthesia.

"Easy, Leo." Raph reminded him.

"Yeah... I know." Taking April's hand, Raph led the way down the stairs to the living room where Donnie, Mikey and Casey were watching tv.

"Hey look who's up." Raph announced joining them.

"Leo, you're awake!" Donnie gasped that his brother being awake and walking. Everyone cleared the way as April sat him down on the couch and laid him out across it. Leo squirmed tenderly because of his shoulder.

"Hang on Leo, I'll get you something for the pain." April said, placing a hand on his other shoulder. Rising to her feet she disappeared into the other room.

"Since you'll be lying around for a while," Donnie began, right as April returned with a syringe. "I've added some games to your T-phone that I think you'll like. They should keep you busy... for a while." He handed it to Leo, as April have the medication. Knowing there was not much more he could do, Leonardo studies the games on the screen. He scrolled through them before pressing one that seemed _interesting_ , and started play, tapping away at the screen. Mikey knelt over behind him, peeking over his shoulder at what he was playing. While the rest of the team left and headed to another room.

"Ok," April sighed, laying her hands on the table. "Leo's occupied. What's the plan?" She shifted her weight and leaned forward on her palms. She looked from one person to the other, searching for an answer.

"Well, I guess we do some training, while each of us take a turn to keep an eye on him." Donnie suggested.

"Ok." Raph shrugged, "then let's do it." He straightened out, popping his back, and beginning to stretch. "Come on Mikey, we're going outside."

"Aww man, but it was just getting good." Mikey whined from where he knelt.

"Come on!!" Raph repeated, intensely grabbing his brother's mask tails and dragging him out the door. Casey swung his baseball bat up over across his shoulder, and followed them.

"I'll stay and keep an eye on him first." April decided glancing at where Leo lay. Donnie gave a nod, and headed out too.

Leo was still focused on playing a game, when April returned with a cup of tea. She thought it might help her wake up more effectively. Taking a sip she laid back in her chair relaxing in the silence, which, for once, wasn't such a bad thing. Looking over at Leo again, she could see his eyelids drop lower and is body relax. His hands gently grasping his T-phone, which drooped a bit. Giving a loving smile she quietly took it from him, laying it carefully next to the couch on the small table. She pulled the light blanket over him as he drifted off to sleep again.

"Hiyah!" Raph stopped Donnie's staff from hitting him. "So," Donnie continued. How do you think Leo's really doing?" The turtle in purple avoided a blow from Raph.

"Didn't you hear him, he said he was fine." Raph responded, launching an attack at Casey.

"I know but, Leo can say he's fine, when he's really not." The big brained mutant pointed out. "Remember when the Shredder got him, during the Krrang invasion."

"Hate to admit it, but Donnie's got a point." Casey agreed. Raph and Casey lowered their weapons.

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Raph sighed staring at the ground, after a second thought.

Leonardo lay still and seemingly peaceful, but inside was a whole other story...

 _Leo stood alone in the darkness, noticing a light to his left he looked up at it and his pupils shrunk in horror. He saw the Shredder in slow motion delivering the blow that left him in a coma for a three months. In front of him just beyond the Shredder was another memory. Razhar, Tiger Claw, and Fishface's attacks that weakened him beforehand. And to his right appeared the aftermath, his time recovering at the farmhouse. He remembered how angry and upset he was that he wasn't getting better. The anger and frustration bubbling back up in him as he thought about it. He remembered wondering if he'd ever get better. Then a another really bright light appeared behind him. He was almost afraid to look, but he was too curious NOT to look. The light blinded him for a sec, but he saw quite clearly the memory of the day before. He remembered holding onto that light pole for dear life, and how painful the ' **snap**!' was. And the surgery that followed, it was hazy, but it was there. He remembered when Master Splinter was injured by Slash, and what followed. When Karai poisoned them with her venom under the control of Shredder's brain worm. How Master Splinter taught him the Healing Hands technique, and how he, himself, used it to stay alive and save his brothers... and his friends. He had hoped he could save Karai... But Splinter beat him to it. And he was glad for it. 'Wait,' he thought to himself. Dropping to his knees he focused himself, calming his mind and spirit. He began to glow and the light grew and grew..._

Suddenly Leo's body also began to glow to April's complete surprise. She stood there stalk-still not daring to move. What was happening?! She did not know, but still she remained where she was. After a pause she hesitantly knelt by his side, touching him lightly she felt a restorative power flowing within her. She suddenly felt rejuvenated, and she fell backwards onto the floor. Just then the others returned to see this and they, too, froze.

"What's happening?!" Raph breathed.

"I don't know, it just started." Leo suddenly shook himself out of it, his eyes quickly fluttering open. It was as if he'd been startled by something.

"Leo?" Mikey said, peering over Raph's shoulder. Leo rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his left hand.

"Uh, Yeah, Hey." He replied, trying to look awake.

"Dude, are you alright? Cause that was... weird." Raph wondered.

"Uh, What do you mean?" Leo was genuinely confused.

"You were glowing." April told him picking herself up off the floor.

"I was?" Leo's expression showed his surprise, but April nodded.

"Wow." Leo scratched his head in surprise. "Guess I'm more powerful than I thought."

"What do you mean?" April wondered.

"I guess... I was having a dream, that I was using the healing hands."

"Well... maybe it wasn't just a dream." April suggested.

"Maybe." Leo shrugged, his gaze wondering across the floor.

"Welp," Mikey said, clapping his hand together, "who's hungry?!" Everyone's hand went up. "You got it!" So Mikey dashed for the kitchen.

"Is it really a good idea letting Mikey cook all the time?" Raph asked as he and Casey followed Mikey. April knelt by Leo.

"Leo, what really happened?"

"I don't know, believe me." Her eyes searched his. Her mental energy could sense the truth of his words.

"Ok, I believe you. But are your sure you're ok."

"Yeah, I think so. For now." With a smile April stood up and, taking a seat next to him, sunk into it.

 **How's it going fanfic fans!! For all you turtle fans, if you haven't noticed, I'm a _huge_ Leonardo fan!! Especially in this series(and the 2003 series and 2007 movie ;D) and as always none of the relationships here are anything other than friends and/or family... Except for maybe Casey and Donnie's rivalry over April. ;) And anyway I always loved Leo and April's interactions, especially in the episode Eyes of the Chimera. And honestly I wish that match up could've been used more often and explored somemore in the show. I loved the way these two bounced off each other throughout the show. And thought I should give them another situation like that. They have a special kind of friendship and I wanted to recognize that a little more. Anyway, let me know in th comments who your favorite turtle/character is. And as always let me know your thoughts on these story concepts. Thx!!**


	5. Healing Takes Time

Chapter five: Healing Takes Time

The living room looked like a slumber party zone. The turtles and teens were sprawled throughout it watching tv and eating pizza. Leo was awake, and Raph and Donnie had helped him sit up so he could eat.

"So... um Leo." Raph spoke up breaking the silence. "How's your shoulder?"

"Ok I guess." Leonardo answered, looking down at his injury. "The pain's not as bad. But that might just be because of the drugs."

"Good." Raph replied, trying to sound happy. Hiding his concern was a regular occurrence for the turtle in red.

Over the next few weeks Leo rested...

and rested...

and rested.

He finally became exhausted with resting. So one day, he decided make a change. He approached the door in silence, peering left and then right. He reached for the door handle, when a voice cut through the silence.

"Leo." The turtle in blue stopped, awkwardly frozen. He closed his eyes tightly and tensed, knowing that he was caught.

"April!" He said turning around and trying to hide his disappointment of being caught.

"Where are you going?" Her eyes challenging his.

"Uh, just out for a walk." The leader in blue answered feeling a bit nervous. He turned to leave when April added.

"Good, cause I hope you're not thinking about trying to start training again." Leo tensed again when she said this, but this time he didn't turn around. He just opened the door and left. Once outside he made his way out into the yard. He carefully slid out of his two-strapped sling and drew his sword. Performing a kada swinging his blade in front and around him. Ending with him standing erect with the blade pointed horizontally across his chest, he looked around for something. Seeing a pile of wooden boards, he set them up in certain ways from him to break. Adopting a warrior stance, he readied himself. Beginning with a kick with right foot breaking the board. Following it was a left elbow strike to the right of the first board. Continuing on he spun around and punching down through the board opposite him with his left hand. After that, right knee strike, left knee strike, left palm hand, right back kick. But the final blow was a right-handed punch. As soon as his hand hit the board, pain shot up his arm and back down again. He couldn't help but let out a cry, dropping to his knee and holding his shoulder gingerly. Hearing Leo's cry, the team rushed out to see him down.

"Leo!!" April cried, sprinting to his side. "What did you do?!" She helped him up, laying a hand on his forearm. Scanning the area, she realized she was right to begin with. Raph handed April Leo's sling.

"What the heck were you thinking, man!" His disappointment majorly evident in his tone. "You gotta chill out. You're supposed to be resting-"

"I've been resting Raph!" Leo snapped, "that's all I've been doing! I can't just sit around and do nothing. That's not who I am! Ok, I can't do that!" Seeing his friends faces, he lowered his voice. "I'm gonna go watch some tv." He brushed past them coldly. April stared after him, her heart sinking. She knew it wouldn't be easy for him, but she still felt bad anyway.

Leo had the tv on and was on the floor in front of it doing one-handed push-ups. And the one and only time he tried to used both hands, the pain shot up again and he hit the floor on his knees. Standing up, his frustration overwhelming him, he thrust he tv remote aside as he sat down on the couch. He slouched down with his arms draped across his abdomen. The colors and shapes of the figures flashing across the screen meant nothing to him. At least not enough to keep his attention. He felt empty and like the walls of the farmhouse were closing in on him. Like he'll never be free, or that his freedom wouldn't come soon enough. But then he remembered what Master Splinter would say... _"if you do not let yourself to heal, you will be of no help to anyone.'_

"Guess I should try to do better." He decided finally. The young turtle sighed deeply and slouched lower into the couch. Then the world faded away as his dreams took wing.

Two months had past, and Leo's recovery was nearing completion. He was out of the sling and didn't need the drugs to ease his pain. But Still wasn't able to lift or hold much. He'd been trying to train off and on trying hard to pace himself, like Master Splinter would no doubt encourage him to do. The team worked with him trying to get him back on his game, but Leo still wasn't happy with his progress. Though he would never admit it to the others, he wanted them to think he was ok with it. One day, the team was out training again. Casey, Donnie, and Mikey were sparring on one side of the yard. And Leo, Raph and April were warming up on the other. The three friends stretched, each in their own routine.

"You know what, I'm really feeling good about today." Leo remarked optimistically.

"Yeah, me too bro." Raph agreed, and, for once, he genuinely did. The two turtles and April stood in a circle facing each other about two feet away from each other.

"Ok, this game is called ninja. An-"

"Oh, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, game? I thought we were training?" Leo protested. He wanted to continue but April silenced him, by putting her hand up.

"We are training, we're working you back up slowly til you're ready to go at it like you used to. So like I said, this is called ninja, just a little more intense." She drew her weapons as she said this. "We each take turns, we can strike either person on either side of us. We'll start slow and speed up slowly. Until we can't." Her eyes bore into Leo's.

"Ok fine, let's do it." Leo surrendered, gesturing to her with his hands up pushing the air away from him.

"Ok, everyone ready to do this." April said, holding a fist in front of her, waiting for the others to join her. She continued when Leo and Raph put their fists in the middle of the circle with hers. "Ok we're going to jump out in whatever position we want, and I'll start the attack." The two turtle mutants have a nod, ready to begin. "One, two, three, hiyah!" They jumped back about six inches, each adopting a different stance. As she had said April began with a left handed strike at Leo, who blocked it with his blade. Leo continued with a slice down at Raph, who backflipped onto his hands and propelled himself back up again. Only to throw an attack in April's direction. They continued on, each taking a turn and as they went they sped up a little at a time. And after the fourth or fifth attack he was starting to feel the tenderness of his shoulder slowly creeping up again. But still he kept going hoping that the pain would cease, like he was imagining it or something. The attacks went faster and faster. They had been going for a good five minutes when Leo decided to stake one blade in the ground and use the other to slice down over Raphael. Raph caught it skillfully with both Sai and Leo weighed down on him hoping to take him down. But Raph, being the strong stubborn turtle he was, wouldn't give in. Raph held on and found the strength to push back. When suddenly Leo felt a twinge that started a fire in his shoulder that he couldn't ignore. His wrist buckled and he dropped his blade. Grimacing a little, he grabbed his shoulder in despair.

"Leo!" April cried, "are you-"

"Fine!" Leo cut her off, "I'm just... gonna take a minute." He strode back toward the farmhouse trying so hard to hide his frustration. But Raph knew how he felt anyway, he remembered seeing this behavior from his brother before. Leo couldn't fool him for very long.

"I just don't get." Leo was saying later that day. He paced back and forth across the living room floor. The team just sat around watching him. "I should have healed more by now, right?"

"Maybe, but you've been doing way better than when you first got here. You handled training much better today than you ever have since the operation. You should be glad to know that you're getting better." April tried to remind him.

"But I feel like I should be further along by now." Leo protested, continuing to pace. "I should be doing much more than this."

"Jeremy did say it would take quite a while to fully heal." Donatello recalled.

"But it's been two months." Leo remembered.

"He said it might take three months or _more_ to fully heal." April corrected him. She thought for a moment before coming up with an idea that might help. "What if we did a training exercise?" Everyone stared at her funny.

"What?" Leo questioned, cocking his head, unsure of her meaning.

"You and me, you've kinda taken over for Master Splinter in training me. And I still have lots to learn. Plus it would take you mind off things." Leo's gaze feel to the floor, thinking about this.

Leo sat in his bed meditating, using the healing hands mantra. He thought about what April had said. Part of him disagreed with her, _I could never replace Master Splinter_. He thought to himself.

 _"You never had to my son."_ The spirit of Master Splinter stood before him when he opened his eyes.

"Sensei!" He gasped.

 _"Leonardo, I told you that you are the Sensei now. But I did not tell you to replace me. You must be the leader you WANT to be. Not one you THINK you should be."_

"But Sensei, what if I can't?" Leo shrugged in despair.

 _"Remember what I've told you before. We choose what holds us back, and what moves us forward."_

"Ok.. so what do I do?"

 _"Take April's advice. She is right to say that you clearly need a distraction."_ Hearing this he thought for a while longer. Maybe he was right, maybe he _could_ use a distraction.

"Alright." Leo remarked dropping a duffle bag to his right. His friends looked up at him intently. "You were right, I need a distraction. And I think I have one."

"Great!" April put in, shrugging happily. "What did you have in mind?"

"April and I will go out into the forest, we'll focus on the ways of stealth and resourcefulness. Surviving in the wilderness for three days, and delving into focused, specialized training."

"And what are _we_ supposed to do?" Raph questioned, his eyes challenging Leo's.

"Stay here and not kill each other before we get back." Leo narrowed his eyes back at him.

"What?! Aww come on!!!" Casey groaned in frustration.

"Wait, just the two of us? Out in the wilderness? Are you sure you're up for that?" April wondered, a little unsure of it all.

"Yes, I'm sure." Leo insisted. "Look, it'll be fine we're just gonna be doing simple training. No weapons, no intense combat. And it's only three days. We'll be back before you know it."

"And how far are you thinking of going?" April asked. Leo was silent, but April, being the psychic, read his mind. "So not that far."

"No." The leader in blue shook his head.

"Ok." She finally gave in, rolling her eyes and smiling.

"And if we ever need anything or cannot continue. We'll either call for help or come back here."

"Well, ok. Fine." Raph reluctantly agreed. He crossed his arms as he normally does, to show his dissatisfaction with the idea.

"Ok then we leave tomorrow, and we'll take tonight to prepare." Leo decided. Going to bed that night, Leo wondered if he'd made a good decision. But then he reasoned with himself that Master Splinter had also encouraged him to do it. And so he felt a little better about it, as he drifted off to sleep.

 **What up?! Yo guys, I am soooo excited for what's coming next the next part of this story kind of shifts gears a little bit to give that mystical vibe to it, so I hope you enjoy it!! Peace!!**


	6. Side-Tracked

Chapter six: Side-Tracked

The sun had just peeked it's face over the horizon, when Leo and April set out on their journey. They began their hike in the direction of Talbot Peak. When they'd found a camp site, they began their training.

"Master Splinter always taught me that unity of mind and body, is the best way to achieve invisibility... and resourcefulness." Leonardo began. They practiced kadas, and hand to hand combat forms side by side. Then for a few hours they meditated and trained, until something broke April's focus, a wisp grabbing her attention.

"Um Leo? I think... something's out there." When no answer came, she opened her eyes. "Leo? Leo?!" He was gone, she was beginning to panic. Leo wouldn't abandon her,... would he? She drew her fan, and carefully scanned the shadows. She tried to psychically track him but couldn't seem to get a fix on him. Suddenly she heard a yell.

"Leo!" She took off running headlong through the forest in the direction of the sound. She stopped as the forest seemed to fall away into another clearing. Where she was relieved to see Leo. But that relief turned to worry when she approached him, as he was trying to pick himself up off the ground.

"Leo, what happened, are you ok?" She grabbed his arm and slung it over her shoulder to stabilize him as he stood.

"I don't know." Leo groaned, holding his head. "And I think so." There was a wisp sound in the shadows.

"It's still out there." April said, putting two fingers to her forehead listening with her psychic powers. Another wisp. "There." Shebpointed l, but nothing was there.

"What is it?" Leo wondered aloud, starting to feel better.

"I don't know, but something seems familiar about its mental energy. Like- I recognize it,- somehow." Suddenly a long squishy finger reached out a grabbed Leo again. Pulling him away and back into the dark.

"Leo, Noo!!!!" Then there was a loud screech, one she recognized!! "Oh no." She breathed. She heard Leo defending himself, when he finally became visible in the darkness coming in fast. He had almost reached the edge of the clearing, when a tentacle sent him flying over April and into a tree. She watched Leo hit the ground in horror, when she heard a loud thump behind her. She slowly turned around to see...

"The Chimera?!?!" She cried. "But that thing was buried under lots of rocks months ago? How is it still alive."

"Who cares. What bothers me is that it seems to have gotten more dangerous. I didn't even hear it coming." Leo remarked. The Chimera roared, its high pitched voice emitted a strong sound wave that knocked both of them over. April tried to block it with her powers, but she wasn't strong enough and the two sound waves collided with a flash of light. When they picked themselves back up April opened her eyes to see herself and Leo laying on the ground.

"Not again!" She cried, touching her face.

"What's wrong." Leo asked immediately, shakninhnrh dizziness from his head.

"I'm seeing through it's eyes again." She cried in despair.

"What?!" They both jumped to safety as the Chimera slammed its tentacle down at them. Leo drew his swords and plunged in to attack. The Chimera threw its long finger-like extremities in his direction, which he had a heck of a time avoiding. Raising his blades to attack the pain in his shoulder shot up and down his arm. And when he grabbed his arm, he was blindsided by another arm slamming him into another tree. Leo lay motionless on the ground, and wasn't getting up.

"Leo? Leo?! Get up! Move, now!!" April cried. The Chimera looked in her direction and screeched, lunging forward it grabbed her. And then flapping its big, pink wings grabbed Leo too. Soaring among the clouds, she could see that it was heading to Talbot Peak again. Leo hung limp in the Chimera's grasp, out cold. Reaching the peak it circled around to the other side. Since April could see whatever the creature saw she could make out a hole in the side of the mountain, and it looked like there was something in there. The Chimera hovered over the hole, before finally dropping them into it's nest. With a squawk, it flew away. Knowing that they were alone, April felt around for Leo and crept over to him. He was laying face down, with his face resting on his left cheek and his arms up by his face.

"Leo, you ok?" She put an ear to his back and was relieved to hear his beating heart. His breathing was shallow, but it was there. She shook him gently saying his name, and he finally started to awaken.

"Aaohh, what happened. Where are we?" Leo groaned weakly, shifting himself to a sitting position.

"Talbot Peak... again." April sighed, her blank stare still showing her discouragment for the situation.

"Awck, again?" Leo sighed in despair. He started to stand, but went right back down.

"Leo, hold on." April felt along his left leg, and when she got to his knee was where he flinched. "How did this happen?"

"Um." Leo tried to think, the battle was intense. But then suddenly it came back to him in a flash. "The creature dragged me off with tentacles around my face and body, but when I escaped and it caught my leg."

"Ok well that explains it." Again pulling his arm over her shoulder, they worked together to stand. They carefully scanned their surroundings.

"I can't see anything around us. And the Chimera won't be coming back for a little while. Do you see a way out of here?" The two of them carefully made their way to the edge of the cliff. Looking down, Leo tried to find a safe way down.

"Nope, nothing." He shook his head and sighed and they sat down in the nest, unsure of what to do.

"I wonder what they're doing out there." Raph murmured to Chompy. "I wish I was out there." The alien turtle have a screechy roar, Raph chuckled and scratched the little turtle with care.

"Is there anyway we can get out of here?" April questioned, hoping there was something Leo missed.

"No." Leo sighed. "I don't see any safe way to get down. Plus with my knee, and your loss of sight. We'd never make it."

"Call the guys they should be able to help us." Leo reached for his T-phone, but not finding it looked around frantically. "Must have dropped it during the fight!" He groaned in frustration, his eyes turning fiery in the anger he felt.

"That's ok, we'll use mine." But she then realized something. "Oh, wait, I left it back at the camp site, when I went looking for you." Leo sighed plopping back down beside her.

"I'm sorry about all this, April." He told her staring at the woven stick floor.

"This isn't your fault. Neither of us knew this was going to happen, we just need to make it right."

Suddenly they heard a familiar squawk. April could see them both from above.

"It's back!!" She cried. The two scrambled to their feet, helping each other move they ran toward the back of the nest. The creature landed with a thud that knocked them both down. The Chimera roared and plunged its head down to bite them. Leo and April split to avoid it, crawling back to each other they stood up. The Chimera came again, Leo stepped back a couple of paces and fell back over the edge of the nest, dragging April with him. When they recovered themselves, Leo glanced behind him.

"April!" He said, "I see a tunnel, maybe this will lead us out."

"Are you sure!" April half questioned.

"You have a better idea!" Leo replied sarcastically.

"Good point." She agreed, taking Leo's hand and arm. And together they made it through just before the Chimera could get them. The Chimera gave an angry roar, as they continued on their escape.

"Leo, talk to me, where are we going? What do you see?" The young turtle peered around, squinting in the darkness, his eyes weren't fully accustom to it yet.

"Um, it looks like a tunnel, man-made." He kicked something, and he looked down to find out what it was. "Or Krrang-made." He finished.

"The Krrang? Are you serious?" April couldn't believe it. Leo's eyes had adjusted more, and he studied the walls a little more closely.

"Yeah, these walls were not dug, or naturally formed. They look like they've been built another way."

"Knowing the Krrang, they've probably figured out how to use their technology to dig them." They continued on.

"Exactly, so what were the Krrang up to here." Leo stumbled and they tumbled down into another chamber. And quickly Leo pulled April into the shadows.

"Leo, what is it?" April asked, half in a panic. She was on her knees with her head lowered slightly.

"Trouble." Leo responded, scowling over at something.

"Leo?" He looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

"I can see again." She smiled.

"That's great!" He grinned back. The two peered over the machinery together.

"Is that..."

"Yep." Leo put in, his frown returning. "The Krrang."

"But I thought they were toast when Bishop took over and reformed them."

"Well," Leo sighed. "Guess some of their operatives didn't get the message."

"What are they doing down here?" April wondered out loud.

"Can't tell, too much stuff in the way."

"I bet Donnie would know." April recalled.

"Yeah. Too bad we can't reach him." Leo reminded her.

"Then it's up to us. Let's go." She was about to go, when Leo grabbed her arm.

"Woah, woah, woah, I can barely walk, much less fight. How do you think the two of _us_ can handle this?"

"By not being seen. We go in sneak around til we know what they're up to. Then get out without anyone knowing we were here. We get back to the others and tell them what we saw."

"And if we do get seen?" Leo questioned. April paused.

"Haven't got that far yet,.. but come on we'll be fine." She tried to go again, but Leo stopped her again.

"We need a plan, if we're going to do this."

"Ok." She said, plopping down next to him. "What do you have in mind." He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.

"I'm working on it." He said finally, frowning. He looked around the room looking for anything that would help him make a plan. Until he looked up. "I got it." He adopted this sneaky grin when he said this.

The Krrang droids were focused on their task, not noticing the intruders' presence. A small figure flew through the darkness, another stood silently in the rafters. But, still, the droids didn't notice. A rope snaked from the darkness above, pulling one of he droids up into it. Another one was sucked into the sky of black. One after another, they were taken out until only a few were left. Those that remained turned around.

"The ones that are to be in this place, are not in this place." One of them said.

"Krrang, we must find the ones who are supposed to be in this place." Said another.

"Yes, Krrang. Clearly there is one who is not authorized to be in this place. We must find the ones in this place and exterminate them." Said another. They spread out, blasters in hand, they looked around but still the small figure was swiftly evaded them, still cloaked by the shadows. Another line snaked down grabbing a droid and sucked it in like a black hole. This time they saw this and looked up. A figure sat with their legs dangling from the rafters. Their solid white eyes were like two deep pools of nothingness. Without hesitating the droids fired on them. Leo rolled onto his feet favoring his injured leg. Taking a blast to the shell, he instinctively flipped onto hands. Holding his balance, he walked on his hands for a couple steps. He took a blast to the forearm, and fell down hitting the ground hard. The impact made him feel dizzy. The droids pointed their blasters at him, preparing to fire when finally the other elusive intruder sliced and diced them to bits.

 **Hope you guys are enjoying this story and here's to hoping you continue to enjoy it! Thx!**


	7. Shocking!

Chapter seven: Shocking!

"Come on, Leo." April said, pulling Leo up from the floor. "We don't have much time before more show up. Are you ok?" Leo seemed only half there, like he was going to pass out at any moment. He felt distant, the fall seemed to have messed him up worse than he thought.

"I think so." He groaned dryly. She carefully set him down and leaned his back against the exam table. And stood up to study what was on it. There was a bunch of miscellaneous items it seemed, but one thing seemed to catch her eye. It was a small vile, with a yellowish-gold liquid in it. It was labeled, but she couldn't tell what it said. A file lay next to it, and the corner of something was sticking out of it. Half daring herself not to look at it, she closed her eyes and held her breath as she flipped it open. She gasped and took as step backwards.

"April?" Leo asked, in the midst of his delirium. "Are you ok." The girl was speechless, as she stared at the file of Bridgette O'Neil. "Mom?" She breathed. Leo pulled himself up and looked at what she saw. He squinted to see but his vision was still blurry and split. He could barely make out the photo of Mrs. O'Neil's soft friendly smile, all the while still feeling a weight on his head. It seemed to be weighing harder to knock him back onto the floor, but he tried to resist.

"I don't get it. Why is your mother's information out here like this?" Leo remembered back to the non creature they'd found in the buried Krrang ship under the farmhouse.

"Because they were going to use it." April's gaze wondering across the floor

"Then what does that mean? That they have her here?" Leo questioned aloud.

"Or just her DNA like last time?"

"But they have to be getting it from somewhere right?" Leo protested. "That creature was created months, if not, years before we discovered it. And this operation seems to be ongoing even now..." April stared up at him then dropped her yes again. "Think about it April,.. maybe your mom isn't really gone." Her eyes flashed at this.

"Ok, then say you're right," April hypothesized. "Where would she be? I mean, this place isn't very big... right?"

"Only one way to find out." Leo attempted to get to the computer opposite them, but his head pounded and he fell to his knees.

"Leo!" She came to his side and dragged him across the floor leaning him against the wall. "You need to relax. At least until we both need to get out of here. Just listen for anyone coming." Then she turned to the computer and tapped away at the keys searching every one file after another looking for anything on her mother. Suddenly a panel on the counter-like structure that the computer was sitting on popped. Flipping it open there was a switch. When she hit it, a secret panel in the wall to her left slid opened and a Krrang cell door was revealed. Peeking in, she couldn't believe her eyes. Slicing the lock with her tanto the cell opened. The older woman inside jumped, her body tense waiting for her captors to show themselves, but instead was surprised to see her rescuer.

"Mom!!" April flung her self at her mother. Wrapping her a tight hug, she thought she'd never let her go. She never felt more joy than knowing she was alive.

"A-April?" Bridgette stuttered believing she was in a dream. "Bu- wha- how? I-"

"April?!" Leo coughed from the other room.

"Who is that?" Bridgette wondered, following her daughter's gaze.

"A friend." April responded. She took her mother by the hand and led the way. "Now mom, this is going to sound,.. and look very strange but I promise you, it is all ok." She tried to reassure her mother, so she wouldn't freak out about Leo's appearance. But even April froze. Leo looked pale and weaker than when she'd left him.

"Leo what happened?" She tried to assess him.

"No time," he groaned, "someone's coming."

"Ok." She gave a slight nod.

"Then we need to hurry." Bridgette said, jumping into action. She slung the mutant's right arm over her shoulder, Leo winced as April took his left. And they snuck out just as more krrangdroids showed up. "This way." Bridgette led the way through the infinite, twisting maze of tunnels.

"Do you know where you're going?" April questioned, a little uneasily.

"Yes." Her mother said simply. "I've traveled these tunnels many times for years. The Krrang have kept me here for years for experimentation. Using me to better their understanding of our science... and genetics." Suddenly blaster fire showered vertically in their direction.

"We've been discovered!" April left Leo's side to engage them. And Leo dragged out one of his blades, determined to help. April sliced one droid after another, but they seemed to keep on coming. Shadows loomed up behind them, and when Leo and Bridgette turned around blasters were pointed in their direction. Leo swung this blade slicing three at a time but he let go of Mrs. O'Neil and fell to the ground. Spinning himself of his shell, he sliced their legs off and they tumbled down after him. Propping himself up against the wall he stood up, bracing himself with his blade when more droids showed up. Leo swung his blade again, but a blaster to the head finished his attempts to defend his friends.

"Leo!" April froze, her anger and frustration of what had happened to him up until this point, finally became more than she could bare. She turned and extended her hand out blasting the droids with her psychic powers. She did so a couple more times wiping out all the droids. Picking Leo back up, they continued their escape. They turned right down another hallway, and then a left into a large room. Bright pinkish-purple portals were everywhere, Bridgette headed to the control panel. She skillfully operated it like she'd done this for years, and all the portals disappeared, except one.

"Ok, I've set it to close in less than a minute come on!" Bridgette and April dragging Leo through the portal just as the Krrang caught up to them. And as soon as the portal closed, the computer exploded with sparks flying and electricity flailing its long tentacles around, sending a shockwave through the facility. All that remained was a smoke, scorched computer conduit and no power throughout the whole facility.

A flash of light seemed to appear out of nowhere, when three figures emerged from seemingly nothingness. Leo made a slight moan as they laid him down on the grass. Bridgette began to assess him, with April joining her at his other side. "He doesn't look too good." Bridgette commented, genuinely sounding unfortunate.

"Yeah," April mumbled. "So you're not- at all freaked out by him?"

"I've seen a lot of strange things in my life." Her mother replied. "Little surprises me anymore." Her blue eyes met her daughter's. "I'm so glad to see you," she sighed happily. April returned a relieved one.

"Me too." They hugged for a moment but was interrupted by the young mutant turtle finally coming to. "Leo?"

"Ugh, you get the number of that bus that just ran me over?" He sat up, but only to be welcomed by a pounding in his head that nearly knocked him out again. April took his right knee and propped it up laying his elbow on top of it. Then letting his forehead rest on his right wrist.

"How's the shoulder?" April's wondered, remembering his previous injury.

"Ok I guess," Leo replied dryly. "Good compared to the rest of me." Because they needed to clean Leo's wounds, they tried to find their way back to the camp site. But instead found an abandoned cabin, with a creek snaking around behind it. Using whatever little they had, they set to work on the wounded mutant.

"So what were you doing out here?" Bridgette questioned, wiping a wet cloth across Leo's bruised forehead. "I mean it's unlikely you were out here for me."

"You're right mom, we had no idea we were going to find you." April confirmed. "We were out here training,... well supposed to be. Until-..we had a visitor. Another mutant we also thought we'd never see again."

"Yeah well that thing's more dangerous now then ever. When we get back to the guys we have to find a way to get rid of it, for good."

"There's more of you?" Bridgette wondered.

"Yes ma'am, our friend Casey Jones and my three brothers." Leo explained.

"Also turtle mutants?" Bridgette guessed.

"Yeah." Leo nodded.

"We were actually out here for Leo." April said, gesturing to the turtle in blue. "He was injured in battle with a weed mutant back in New York, and the best place for him to recover was back at the farmhouse."

"So you're all out here? For how long?"

"We've been here for two months, the friends that helped us fix his shoulder told us three months or more." April explained, as she finished wrapping the turtle's knee.

"So where's Kirby?" She gaze around as if looking for him.

"Back in New York." April replied simply.

"He let you come alone?!" Bridgette was taken aback by the fact that her husband would let this happen.

"No, I told him he didn't have to come. I wanted to come out here because I wanted to help with Leo's recovery."

"How did you come to know the turtles?" Bridgette's gaze softened.

"They've saved and protected me from the Krrang. They've become like family, they've helped me learn to control and develop my powers.-"

"Powers?" She glanced questioningly at her. Their eyes locking onto each other's.

"Yeah,...-I'm psychic." She almost hesitated to say it. Bridgette blinked. "It's hard to explain, but we think the Krrang are to blame."

"Oh." She suddenly seemed disinterested by this. Her heart sank, _my family will never be rid of the Krrang!_ Shaking her head she brushed away these thoughts, to finish the task in front of her. "The blast to the shell, isn't too bad, it should be fine." She continued, covering it with a pad of gauze. "Ok, I think you're all patched up."

"Thank you." Leo said gratefully, as April finished bandaging his wrist.

"So... what do we do now?" Bridgette asked openly.

"I think we should stay here." Leo decided, taking the lead again. "At least for tonight. A storm is coming. Tomorrow, we figure out how to get back to the others."

"I'll see if I can find some blankets." Bridgette offered rising from her place on the couch next to Leo.

"I thought I saw a general store, just up the road, I'll see if I can find some food and supplies there." April finished, heading for the door.

"April wait." Bridgette called after her. The teen stopped and glanced back.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." She assured her mother, before continuing out the squeaky door. Bridgette stared agaust after her daughter, fear and concern filling her. But then she dropped her gaze to the floor, and tried to convince herself otherwise.

The suns rays forced their way through the slats and cracks of the cabin's walls. Peace and quiet lay with the dust, as the three sleeping bodies emerged from their sleep.

Bridgette made her way out of the single bedroom, to be greeted by the peaceful breaths of the two teenagers asleep in the main living room. April lay on the floor, curled up in the blankets. Leo was asleep in the old couch. April had insisted that he sleep there due to his injuries. The two looked so peaceful, it brought a smile to Bridgette's face. She couldn't believe how grown up her daughter was, it felt like too much time had passed. And she couldn't help but feel bad for the young teenage mutant turtle that lay above April. He seemed to have taken a hard beating from the Krrang, she felt his pain. For she, too, knew how horrible the Krrang were. And somehow,... she sympathized with him a little. Maybe it was just because she was once their prisoner, and had experienced their terrible ways first hand.

Donnie's T-phone went straight to voicemail for the third time.

"Leo's not picking up." He reported. "Neither is April."

"Something's wrong." Raph decided, "they should have answered."

"So what do we do, we have no idea where they went. They could be anywhere." Casey pointed out. He had been sitting on the chair backwards leaning on the back of it casually.

"Then let's all start looking." Mikey suggested, gesturing for the door.

"Then where would we start." Raph thought aloud. Donatello adopted his usual thinking pose, racking his big brain to figure it out.

"Now this is Leo we're talking about, right?" He thought aloud. "He was taking April out there to train, but where would he take her?" The room fell silent as they all thought, trying to put the pieces together.

 **Hey guys! So Bridgette is just a name for April's mom. Since we don't really know what her real name is, I decided to take a guess. Plus this name sounded good and made sense. Anyway I don't win the character, because we know what she looks like as of episode Buried Secrets. The name is just so we have another way to address her. Let me know what you think of it. And btw l, this is the real Mrs. O'Neil, not a fake. This is a concept I would have loved to see in the show. Anyway, enjoy!!**


	8. The Way Back Home

Chapter eight: The Way Back Home

"Good morning you two." Bridgette greeted. April and Leo had woken up at about the same and they stretched and rubbed the sleep from their eyes. "Sleep well?"

"*yawn* yeah." April replied sleepily. "What about you?"

"It was fine." Bridgette sighed, her expression betraying her tone. "I'm...not used to sleeping in anything other than a cell anymore. I know that I am free now but I still can't help but be a little on edge."

"Don't worry mom, we won't let anything happen to you. The Krrang won't take you again."

"That's right." Leo agreed, full of determination. "you're safe now. We won't let the Krrang hurt you anymore."

"I take it you've been hurt by them too?" Bridgette asked, her gaze directed at Leo.

"No,... we'll sort of." The turtle in blue hesitated for a moment. "The Krrang worked with an enemy of ours. The Shredder... the Krrang invaded Earth to try and turn it into another Dimension X, like their home dimension. And the Shredder was helping them, they worked together in ambushing me during the invasion. I was lucky to get out of there alive. My brothers, April, and Casey found me before escaping the city."

"If by finding you, you mean watching you crash through the window of my apartment because of a deranged mutant tiger, then yes." April recalled, rolling her eyes at the memory.

"Wait what?" Leo shot a glance at her.

"Tiger Claw threw you through the window, and demanded we give ourselves up." April repeated. "They ambushed us with you and an army of ninjas, Xever, and Rahzar. We were _also_ lucky to escape alive before we found and lost Splinter, and escaped with you to the farmhouse... We found you because the Foot clan returned you to us, if they didn't we probably might've lost you too."

"Huh." Bridgette sighed, thoughtfully sipping her fresh cup of tea.

"The Shredder and his army really messed you up." April continued. "When we got him back, he was in a coma for three months before waking up. The damage was everywhere, it took a few more months for him to fully heal. After that we headed back to New York and took back the city."

"Really?" Her mother gasped. "You and your friends took an _entire_ city from the Krrang?!"

"Yes ma'am." Leo began, "we-"

"Please, call me Bridgette." Mrs. O'Neil told him, giving him a warm smile.

"Um.. ok... Bridgette. We had to go back. It's our home. And Karai and Master Splinter we're still there."

"Karai? Master... Splinter?"

"Oh, uh, Master Splinter is Leo and the turtles' guardian. Their father, and Karai is Splinter's daughter. She had just gotten mutated before the Krrang invasion and was roaming loose in the city."

"We were searching for her when the invasion started." Leo put in.

"Master Splinter made us leave him behind, and then ended up fighting the Shredder by himself. He was lost in the craziness of the invasion and with Leo hurt we knew we had to leave."

"We discovered later that Master Splinter was still alive." Leo stated.

"Trying to take back an entire city is pretty brave." Bridgette remarked thoughtfully.

"Karai is ok now, and she back in New York overseeing her newly reformed Foot Clan." Leo told her.

"And your Master?" Leonardo's gaze lowered painfully.

"Master Splinter was killed by a mutated Super Shredder a few months ago." April spoke for him, laying a hand on his shoulder. She knew it was still hard for him to talk about.

"Oh." Bridgette dropped her shoulders slightly. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you." Leo gave a grateful nod. Bridgette returned a slight smile. "So what's the plan on getting back to the house?"

"I... don't know." April spoke up. "It's too dangerous to hitch a ride with someone, because of Leo."

"And I can't walk." Leo added, gesturing to his knee. "And with no T-phones to call the guys. We're basically stranded here, until they come looking for us."

"We can't just wait around here." April told him. "We have to do something. Anything that would help us get back." Suddenly they heard a noise outside, and then... CRASH!!! The head of the Chimera burst through the ceiling, snapping at them. Leo attempted to get up and run but his knee twinged and he fell flat on the ground. Turning onto his shell, he prepared to face the creature looming over him. Bridgette thought quickly acting fast she grabbed an old pan lid. She threw it like a frisbee successfully hitting the Chimera getting its attention.

"Leave him alone!" She told it. The creature snarled and lunged at her, and when it was blinded by a chair being smashed over its head. April levitated another and launched it at the worm creature. While the creature was distracted Bridgette recovered Leo. She helped him up, and took him to the far side of the large living space. April drew her fan and tanto ready to attack when a thought hit her. Returning her weapons to their places, she put her hands to her forehead and focused on the Chimera. Her eyes turned solid white and she could see through it's eyes again. Her link with it seemed to give her this ability. The creature then stopped attacking and April climbed onto its neck.

"Come on." She called, extending her hand out to them.

"April are you nuts?!" Leo couldn't believe what he was seeing. "I'm not getting on that thing again. It'll probably take us back to its nest to eat us or something."

"No it won't, just trust me on this."

"Are you sure." Her mother questioned uneasily.

"Yes." April replied simply, her hollow eyes challenging theirs. Leo stared for a moment, feeling very hesitant. But finally gave in, taking her hand he carefully pulled himself up into the Chimera's long neck. "Come on mom." Bridgette's hesitation was not as long as Leonardo's. Though she, too, was a little hesitant, but followed her daughter's lead nonetheless. With the three of them on the Chimera's back, they were lifted out of the hole in the cabin's roof. With a flap and a squawk, the Chimera obeyed April's command to take to the sky. Leo clung to the Chimera nervously as they took off.

"Are you sure about this?- and how are you doing this?!" Turtle grunted trying to keep his grip.

"I don't know, exactly." April needed to encourage him. "But I'm getting the hang of this." As Leo gripped the Chimera's long slender neck, he could feel his shoulder get agitated. All his injuries made it hard to keep his balance, and at times, his focus. Suddenly they all felt a jerk and the Chimera came crashing down into the trees sending all of them tumbling into the sea of green. Leo tried to recover himself, but his shoulder could not yet support his own weight. And on top of that, a branch had him pinned down.

"Guys?" He called. "You ok?" April rose from the branches of a fallen tree, and Bridgette peered over between two trees. "I'm stuck," She said. "But alright... April."

"I'm good," April sighed dusting herself off. "But we are closer to the farmhouse. If we keep going north we should be there by supper time." Their thoughts were interrupted by blasters being fixed on them.

"Halt!" A krrangdroid announced. "The ones who are in this place are the ones who have foiled Krrang's plans."

"Those who have foiled Krrang's plans must be eliminated, by Krrang." Said another.

"Um I think we've got trouble." Leo remarked in seeing this.

"Leo!! What do we do?!" April cried half in a panic.

"First you need to help your mom." Leo instructed, trying to free himself.

"But what about you?" She protested.

"You won't be able to help me by yourself. Besides she's your mom, we can't let the Krrang get her." Realizing he was right, April hurried to her mother, she pulled back and broke the branch caught around her ankle. The Krrang closed in as the two headed to Leo. Lifting with all their strength, they managed to lift the branch high enough for Leo to crawl out from under it. Helping him up, they stood there completely surrounded by Krrang.

"Now what?" Mrs. O'Neil wondered hopelessly.

"We make a move." Leo said giving April a determined nod. April returned one and drew her weapons. Leo unsheathed his katana, and broke off a thick long stick from one of the downed trees. April lunged forward in an attack. And using the stick for support, Leo joined her, doing his best to protect his wounds as best he could. It was difficult, but the two of them slowly took out one droid after another, until they all lay decapitated. "Ok," Leo said, returning his blade to his holster. "Those were just scouts sent out to look for us. There's bound to be more out here, so stealth is an absolute priority until we can get back to the others."

"Right, guess we'll be getting some training in after all." April teased, nudging Leo's upper arm playfully. They exchanged an amused smile before quietly heading off into the forest.

"Come on!!" Raph shouted slamming his fists on the table. "Where are you?" The turtle in red gazed at the map of the farmhouse and the surrounding area. He had been marking everywhere trying to figure out where Leo and April could have gone, but nothing he did made any sense. _Where are they?_ He thought to himself. "I hope they're ok." He sighed.

Three figures crept through the shadows. Though they weren't much, they used them to their advantage as best they could. Leo limped between the two women supporting him. His knee was getting weaker by the minute, until it finally gave out and he fell on his knees.

"Ugh, we're going nowhere fast." He muttered, angered by his aching tired body, shifting himself off his wounded knee. "And we don't even know how close we are." April had been down on one knee next to him. Rising from her position, she focused hard and managed to levitate herself over the trees. And what she saw was a relief.

"We're almost there!" She called down to them. "I can see the farmhouse."

"Then let's go." Bridgette decided, bracing Leo's forearms across her own. But when Leo started to pull himself back up, he pushed her aside as a blast zapped between them.

"They found us!!" Bridgette cried. The krrangdroids surrounded them once again, but this time with more heavy duty machinery. They were stuck Leo grabbed his only blade, and the stick he'd used before. Ready to face the small army, despite his weakened state.

 **Hey guys what up?! Hope you're enjoy this story! There are more chapters to come, but as we near the end I would like to know you're thoughts on the story as a whole and what ideas you have on this. Also I would love any suggestions for future stories, if you have any. And continue to enjoy what comes next! Thx!**


	9. Escape Route!

Chapter nine: Escape Route!

"We need to get out of here!!" Leo called to April.

"I agree," April told him. "But how _do_ we get out of here?"

"We beat them before they overtake us." Leo answered, taking a blow to the head.

"Leo?!" April cried jumping into the circle of droids. She began slicing them to pieces as Leo recovered himself.

"Where's Bridgette?" Leo gasped. He scanned the area, and found her cornered in front of a tree. Droids were everywhere. Using his grappling hook with his left hand, he swung around to take out the droids all at once.

"Thank you, Leonardo." Bridgette told him gratefully. An attack came from behind him, but the turtle instinctively dodged it. He grabbed the shock stick, and redirected it to the droid to which it belonged. April received a blow, that sent her to the ground. The Krrang were about to shock her, but she used her powers to hold them back. Then she blasted them in all directions, scattering them. Leo braced himself against a tree, katana in hand, ready to attack. A droid's saw-blade buzzed in his direction, he blocked it with his blade. When the saw's edge grazed him and he dropped his blade. So he engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat mode. He was doing well, when a droid delivered a blow to his injured shoulder. Grimacing a little he stepped back, holding his shoulder tenderly. The turtle in blue caught his foot on the exposed roots of the tree, and tumbled into a steep ravine. Roots and sticks and plants of all kinds welcomed him, as he landed in a heap at the bottom. He lay still, feeling the pain of his old injuries, and now new ones. The Krrang looked down on him, trying to decided if he was dead or not. They were interrupted by April slicing through their bodies. When they'd all scattered to the ground, April peered down.

"Leo! You ok?" She called to him. Leo groaned and gave her a thumbs up. "Mom. Leo's ok, but he's stuck." Bridgette came to her daughter's side as she spoke. "Then let's carefully get down there to make sure." So together they stepped over branches and roots. April slipped and nearly fell, but Bridgette held on to her tightly. Finally reaching him, they began pulling apart the weeds and branches that got wrapped around his arms and legs.

"Leo?" April began, taking his left arm. "We really need to get you back home before you get more hurt."

"Yeah, you're telling me." Leo agreed, pulling himself up. "If I don't get a chance to heal we'll never get back to New York."

"Well, never say never." Bridgette smiled. Leo returned one and grabbed his grappling hook. Swinging it up the other side of the ravine, they began to climb. Leo's knee ached, but he tried to tough it out as best he could. He knew he'd get a break when they were safe at the farmhouse. Once each of them made it to the top, they continued on toward home. When they figured out where they were, they quickly headed to the camp site to get their T-phones. "Yes, here it is!!" The phone was wet from the rain, and crushed from animals scrounging for food. "Shoot!"

"And no sign of mine." Leo said, shielding his eyes searching for it.

"Then we better head back. It'll be dark soon." Bridgette advised.

"We're not that far from home. I'm sure we can-" A rumble interrupted their conversation, and the three of them turned to see a haze of black looming in the distance. "Make it?" April finished her statement.

"Not good." Leo breathed. They hurried through the forest, trying to get back before the storm catches up to them.

"Ahh! My injuries are holding us back." Leo sighed, feeling tre twinge in his knee once again.

"Don't say that," April defended immediately." Even if it is true. It doesn't matter now. We're almost there." The farmhouse was finally coming into view, to their relief. When finally, the rain poured and poured and poured. Mist arose, as the rain came down, making it difficult to see. Lightning cracked across the sky, and thunder rolled in response. The wind whipped around them, leaves and twigs felt like pins and needles on their skin. Suddenly Leo's missing blade sliced through the darkness, Leo and Bridgette split as it came over their shoulder and landed, handle up, in front of them. They glanced over their shoulders to see even more darkness. Leo coughed and squinted to see, the rain seemed to blur his vision and he started to feel a little distant.

"Leo?" April panted. "You ok?" He began to stumble.

"I- I don't- feel so good." The turtle responded, nearly losing his balance.

"I know, we all don't, but we're almost there. Just hang in there." April held onto him, pressing on toward home. Desperately striving to get back to their friends.

"April." Bridgette breathed. "We need to get home now. Leo can't take much more of this and neither can we."

"I know, there's the farmhouse we're almost there." When they finally left the woods, they could now see the lights of the farmhouse more clearly. Leo finally became so weak that he simply couldn't continue, he dropped to his knees and hunched over with his hands on he ground. He was so tired he couldn't move. April and Bridgette looked at each other for a moment. Then April stood and with all her strength she yelled... "Raph!!!"

All the turtles and Casey looked up.

"Did you guys hear that?" Donnie asked, pointing behind him across his chest. Everyone blinked for a moment, before hastily scrambling for the door. When they opened the door, a cascade of emotions rushed to meet them, along with the wind.

"April?!" Raph cried, hardly believing what he was seeing.

"Oh man,.. Leo!!" Mikey exclaimed, seeing his brother on the ground. Without even thinking, they ran through the rain and storm to them.

"What happened?! Where have you guys been?" Raph questioned, kneeling next to Leo.

"And who is she?" Donnie asked.

"*Sigh* she's my mother?" April responded dryly.

"What?!?!" They all cried.

"I'll explain later." April told them. "But Leo's in bad shape, and we need to get him inside before we all get a fever."

"I think it's too late for that." Bridgette sighed. Raph and Casey helped Leo up and slung his arms over their shoulders. Donnie picked up April, and Mikey helped Mrs. O'Neil. And together they all made their way into the farmhouse. Raph and Casey laid Leo on the couch, who squirmed painfully. Donnie got out a cot and helped April into it. Mikey sat Bridgette down, in the big soft chair to the left of the couch.

"So what happened to you guys out there?" Donnie asked curiously.

"Ugh, what didn't happen." Leo answered quietly, barely even awake. His voice was low and labored, and cracked a little. "Ran into the Krrang, got kid-knapped by a deranged mutant, lost in a pointed rock-"

"Stop talking Leo." April silenced him. "The more you talk the weaker you get. You need to rest."

"And so do you." Raph told her.

"That's right," Bridgette spoke up. "All will be explained tomorrow. But for now,... Leonardo is the most vulnerable to infection. We need to keep an eye on him."

"I agree." Donnie said, looking up from putting a blanket on Leo. "You've all gotten a fever. Leo's got it the worst. We need to get them warmed up."

"I'll keep the fire going." Casey offered walking to the fireplace.

"Raph, go get the blankets from upstairs." Donnie instructed. "Mikey and I will make some tea and get warm water." He turned to their three patients. "You three stay here and rest."

"I'll help you." Bridgette insisted, standing up.

"But Mrs. O'Neil you need to-"

"Bridgette, please." Bridgette interrupted kindly, her softly gazing into Donnie's. "And I want to help. I'm not as sick as Leo or April. It's the least I can do. They saved me from the Krrang... your brother took a beating because of it. And willingly I might add."

"Ok,.. Bridgette." Donnie gave in, nodding. "Come on then." Bridgette strode into the kitchen and Donnie and Mikey followed. Now Leo and April were alone together in the living room. After laying there for a little while, April looked over at Leo. He would start to nod off sleep, but then he'd wake up himself. He did this once, twice, three times, and continued to do so.

"Leo, go to sleep. Don't fight it." April tried to convince him. She wondered why he was to begin with.

"I can't." The turtle said hoarsely. April slowly pulled herself out of the bed to and dragged herself to him as he continued. "I- I can't-.. fall asleep, because I'm-... afraid I won't wake up."

"Oh come on why would you think that?" She whispered to him softly. She crossed her arms and rested them on the arm of the couch. She then laid her cheek against them, so her face was parallel to his.

"I don't know." He sighed. "But what if I don't? What will happen then." Bridgette peered around the door post, but neither of them noticed. "There is no reason why you wouldn't wake up. You're tired, hurt, and sick. You need to rest so you can start to feel better."

"But-"

"Sleep." She cut him off. "The guys and I will be here with you. We're all right here with you. Just rest, so we can go back to New York."

"Ok." He nodded finally. April took a sponge out of the bowl of warm water, located on the table next to her and rubbed it across the bruise on his forehead. Bridgette watched thoughtfully as April finished, returned the sponge to its place. Then she returned to bed, and curled up in the blankets to rest herself. April found it hard to fall asleep, she was worried Leo would wake up again. She peeked back over her shoulder, to check on him one last time. But to her relief, he was sound asleep.

 **Hey guys so the next chapter is, in fact, the last one so I hope you enjoyed this story. And I will try to think up some new stories when I can. Til then thanks sooo much for enjoying my stories!!**


	10. Reformation

Chapter ten: Reformation

The suns rays crawled through the windows. As they stretched across the floor, they burned Leo's eyes making him cover them with his arms. April was still curled up in the blankets sleeping peacefully. Mrs. O'Neil sat awkwardly in the big chair, her elbow rested on the arm of the chair and her head rested in her hand. Raph, Donnie, Mikey, and Casey quietly peered into the room.

"Last night was rough, but April's and Mrs. O'Neil's fever have gone down." Donnie reported. "But Leo's is still hanging on, but it should break soon."

"Whatever happened to them out there, it really messed them up." Raph remarked.

"Dudes look!" Mikey interrupted, pointing into the room. "They're waking up." They quietly made their way into the room, as their three patients stirred from their sleep.

"Good morning guys." April yawned, carefully stretching.

"You must be feeling better." Donnie guessed, a smiling cracking across his face.

"Yeah," April replied, returned a relieved smile.

"Me too." Bridgette nodded.

"Thanks guys." Leo's voice rasped. Looking over at him, she could see he was still feeling bad. His eyes were open, but he lay still not having any motivation to move. His body ached, and his fever was like a wet blanket that was so thick he could barely move,... or breathe. He felt better than he did last night, relief had somewhat come to him. But he could still feel the rain pattering against his skin, the chills still nipped at him. It hurt to breathe, much less move, but Leo was tired of feeling this way. He closed his eyes, subconsciously trying to heal himself, so he could go back to New York. _Sensei, I need you help_. He thought to himself. He shut his eyes as tightly as he possibly could focusing deeply, like Master Splinter had taught him. He finally began to glow white.

"Is he supposed to do that?" Bridgette asked in response to this.

"Noo..wait... this looks familiar." Casey remarked squinting, as if he would be able to recognize it better that way.

"Yes," April spoke up softly. "He's.. healing himself." The glow dissipated and Leo awoke from this trance with a gasp, his breath suddenly returning to him. April hastily came to his side, feeling his forehead.

"It worked." She sighed with relief. "The fever's broken." Leo pulled himself upright, sliding around to put his feet down on the floor again.

"How's you're pain?" April continued inspecting his bruise. And Donnie took out his pen light to shine in his eyes as the turtle in blue responded. "Fine I guess. Not great, but better than last night."

"Well at least you're feeling better." Donnie remarked. He took his brother's arm and maneuvered it up, down, around and side to side. He winced a few times throughout. Then Donnie pulled his arm a little, Leo squirmed slightly. "Now push against my hand." Donnie instructed, shifting his weight forward into Leo's shoulder. Leo felt the pressure build, but refused to shy away from it. Instead, he pushed back harder.

"Wow!" Donnie was amazed by the progress. "Your arm is way better than when we last looked at it. You might even be ready to go home _today_." Leo couldn't hide a smile, neither could Raphael.

"Glad you're ok, bro." Raph commented.

"Yeah, great to _be_ back." Leo sighed happily, he laid back relaxing his entire body.

"So like,- what happened to you guys out there?" Casey asked curiously. Leo froze then looked up at him, and April and Bridgette looked at each other. And the three of them began the story of their adventure. Starting with the day April and Leo set out for their training exercise, and ended on how they dragged themselves through the rain back to the house... and everything in between.

"So the Krrang really _aren't_ toast." Raph concluded.

"Not really." Leo sighed. "And this may not be the only faction. There could still be other groups of Krrang like this one, that don't know that Krrang Prime is history."

"So what do you suggest we do? We can't just... go Krrang hunting." April commented.

"No. But we can destroy this one." The turtle in blue replied. "So they can never continue their mission ever again."

Some Krrang paced about their patrol routes, and some ran tests and diagnostics. They worked in silence, when a blade sliced through the darkness and destroyed a few of them at once. Every Krrang in the room looked in the direction of the destruction, and four white-eyed figures stood just inside the shadows.

"It is the ones called 'the Turtles'." One Krrang cried, grabbing their blaster. The Krrang opened fire, and the turtles ninja leaped away to scatter.

"So what's the plan here again, chief." Raph joked, hanging onto the metal caging against the wall.

"We blow the place," Leo told him, he turned to the turtle in purple. "Donnie?-"

"Already on it." Donnie answered reading his brother's mind. He began typing away at the Krrang computers.

"So where are April and Casey?" Raph questioned.

Casey screamed and clung harder to the Chimera's neck desperately, his eyes wide as he looked down at the clouded ground. They were up pretty high.

"Hold on, Jones!" April called, peeking back at her shoulder. Her solid white eyes only saw clouds, but she knew where her friend was exactly. Casey adjusted himself for the third time, so that he sat straight on the mutant's back.

"Ugh, why are we doing this again?" Casey groaned, trying not to look down.

"The Krrang facility has to be destroyed and this guy it too dangerous to just leave loose. We have to destroy it too. So we'll do both at the same time." April explained. When they reached Talbot Peak, April circled round above it.

"So now what?" Casey wondered, unsure of how they were going to do this.

"We wait til they're ready." April told himself, pulling the Chimera to a hover.

Krrang fire was everywhere, though Leo was feeling better and his injuries didn't hurt as much, it still slowed him down.

"We've got to keep this up a little longer." He told the team.

"Got it!" Donnie cried, hitting one last button. "We have thirty seconds." Leo took out his T-phone.

"April now!!"

"Coogala!!!" Casey shouted, tossing his explosive hockey pucks at the side of the peak. The explosion opened up a hole into the Krrang facility, and April pointed the Chimera towards it. Crashing into the hole with the Chimera they hopped off and ran with the turtles. The Krrangdroids tried to follow, but Donnie chucked a couple more pucks behind him. The explosion blocked them in with rocks, and the team kept running.

"Move, move, move!!" Raph shouted, sprinting for the exit. A light became visible at the end of the tunnel. And when they reached it they came out at the bottom of Talbot Peak and re-entered the forest. Leo's knee twinged and he fell.

"Leo!" Raph turned back to help his brother and together they continued, just as the Peak began to explode. And the blast sent Raph and Leo forward, tumbling into the clearing that the others had taken shelter in.

"Are you guys ok?" April asked, helping Leo up. Donnie pulled Raph up to his feet.

"I think so." Raph responded. They all peered back at the peak all that remained was a smoking pile of rubble. The peak was no longer a peak. The tip was completely gone.

"Nice work, guys." Leo commented, as they headed back towards the farmhouse. "Now let's go home."

"Aw, YEY-AH!!!" Mikey chimed coolly, hopping about around his friends. "New York City here we come!!" He gestured with his 'fire power' motion and thrusting his fist down out of the sky, next to his chest, in his 'rock-on' stance.

"That's right, Mikey." Leo smiled. "Home sweet home." When they arrived back at the farmhouse, they told Bridgette all about it as they packed up and prepared to go home.

"You all must be very happy to be going back to New York." Bridgette commented thoughtfully.

"We are." April confirmed, hugging her mother.

"Hey, where's Leo?" Mikey noticed that his bro in blue wasn't there. Stepping outside they found him. He was standing with his back to them staring down at something. Raph could barely make out the faded shape of a stone rat and the Hamato symbol, and felt his heart break once again. Bridgette quietly strode over to him, until she stood right behind his right shoulder. Peering over it she saw the tombstone a little closer, the flowers that were now withering away. The picture of Master Splinter with the turtles, and his jade sword/cane leaned gently against the rock.

"Your master?" Bridgette presumed.

"Yeah." Leo sighed heavily, his head slightly tipping back diagonally towards her. "I still haven't gotten past the fact that he's gone." Bridgette laid a gentle hand in his shoulder making him look up at her. She smiled tenderly at him.

"I'm sure you're Master would be proud of you." She said simply. Her blue eyes showing the compassion she felt for the young mutant. "What you did these last couple of days,... all you've been through. If he was as good a father to you as you say. He'd be so proud of of you right now. And perhaps maybe he still is." Leo thought for a moment, then looking up he saw Splinter's spirit appear behind the stone. He was resting one hand on the tombstone and one in his cane. He smiled and gave a slight nod, as if to validate Bridgette's words. A smile crept onto his face in seeing this. Bridgette pulled him into a hug. Leo was surprised by this, but returned one after a split-second hesitation. And the team stood back on the porch and smiled as well.

On the road, Bridgette told stories of her past with the Krrang and, about Kirby and April. And the turtles told her about Master Splinter. They laughed and cried together about their victories and losses, became fast friends.

A man was alone in the apartment, the silence was deafening. His eyebrows furrowing and the creases of a few wrinkles held evidence of his inner thoughts. His red hair and facial hair looked almost as dull as the room around him. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take this. Not knowing when his sweet April was coming home. He did pity Leonardo for his injury, but why did his daughter feel she had to go with them? He knew the logical answer to that question, but his heart still wondered why. The shadow cast across his face, masked the hollowness of his eyes. He glanced over at the mantle, on it was a photo of his family. Him, April, and Bridgette together as the family they once were. He longed for that moment, but knew it would never be possible. A knock on the door, jerked him from the memory. And sullenly, he dragged himself off the couch to answer it. His footsteps echoed in the seemingly empty room as he approached the door. Opening it, he was shocked to see his beautiful red-haired daughter standing there. The turtles and Casey too, Leo had a wrapped ankle and bandaged forearm but looked better than when he'd last saw him.

"April!!" The man cried, wrapping his arms around her.

"Dad." April replied hugging him back. After what seemed like an eternity they broke apart Kirby looked up, about to thank the turtles for bringing her back safely. When the turtles split ways and revealed the _seventh_ person accompanying them. And for a second, Kirby's world froze to a stand-still.

"Bridgette?!" He breathed, believing he was dreaming. The word he'd just uttered seemed to echo from his lips. His eyes fixed on the one person he thought he'd never lay eyes on again.

"Kirby!" Tears jumped to their eyes as husband and wife embraced each other tightly. The two shared a long kiss and Bridgette pulled April in and they shared their first family hug after what seemed like forever ago.

"I-... l... I don't understand." Kirby gasped. "How did-"

"It wasn't a part of the plan." April interrupted, reading his mind. "We just got lucky." She flashed a smile at Leo, who have a nod and a smiled back.

"It's a long story, Mr. O'Neil." Casey shrugged.

"A long one indeed." Bridgette agreed, half chuckling. "And you have our April and Leonardo to thank for it." She gestured to the heroes thankfully. Kirby stared over at Leo, he was still for a moment.

"Oh, thank you!!" He cried hugging Leo, tears of joy streamed down his face. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He repeated, between the sobs. Leo has almost gotten used to surprise hugs, but due to his injuries, nearly lost his balance. Bridgette laid a hand on his shoulder. "Let's get inside and we'll explain everything... over pizza." The team cheered as they all filed into the apartment to celebrate... together.

~Old Wounds~

 **Well that's it, the final chapter. Again thank you soooo much for taking the time to read my stories!! And here's to hoping that more ideas come to me. And as always if you have _any_ ideas for me or suggestions for a story. Let me know!!! I would love to hear your thoughts on TMNT as a whole, and what ideas you have in your brains. God bless you all!!**


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